County Executive proposes legislation to permanently ban data centers in Harford County

Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly has formally submitted legislation to permanently ban data centers within Harford County, Maryland. This action follows discussions about a proposed 90-day moratorium on new data center developments introduced by Harford County Councilmember Jacob Bennett. Cassilly's administration expressed significant concerns regarding the impacts of data centers on the county's quality of life, specifically citing their high energy and water consumption, potential strain on local infrastructure, and environmental footprint. The County Executive also noted that Maryland's existing green policies already limit state power production, making high energy demand a critical issue. According to Cassilly, his administration began researching data center impacts after the County Council invited a pro-data center group to present and subsequently introduced the temporary moratorium bill, which he viewed as potentially opening the door for future approvals. The proposed permanent ban aims to prevent data centers from being approved through current officials or future loopholes in the Harford County Zoning Code, which does not currently permit such facilities. Local residents have formed a grassroots organization, "Our Land, Our Home, Our Harford," to actively oppose data center developments. Councilmember Nolanda Robert confirmed that a developer is considering a project on the Mountain Branch Golf Course site in Joppa. The proposed permanent ban legislation is slated for consideration by the Harford County Council at an upcoming meeting, with a public hearing scheduled for May 19.