Queen Anne's County joins 5 other Maryland counties fighting against data centers
Queen Anne's County has enacted a 12-month moratorium on data center development, joining several other Maryland jurisdictions in pausing or restricting new facilities. The moratorium allows the county to study potential impacts on infrastructure, land use, utilities, and environmental resources, and to develop new zoning regulations. Other Maryland counties like Howard, Baltimore, and Carroll have also approved similar moratoriums, while Harford County is pursuing a permanent ban and Baltimore City is considering a pause.
Queen Anne's County Commissioners have unanimously approved a temporary 12-month moratorium on data center applications, effective immediately. This decision aligns Queen Anne's with at least five other Maryland jurisdictions that are taking steps to regulate or ban data center development. County Commissioner Phil Dumenil stated that existing zoning regulations were not designed for contemporary data center facilities, necessitating time for study and policy development.
During the moratorium, Queen Anne's County plans to research the potential impacts of large-scale data centers on local infrastructure, land use, utilities, and environmental resources. The county will also engage with residents, experts, and stakeholders, and review its zoning regulations. The Commissioners emphasized that the pause is not a permanent prohibition but an opportunity to ensure future proposals align with community goals.
Other Maryland counties have also taken action. Howard County's council unanimously passed a temporary ban, now awaiting the County Executive's signature, to allow review of data center impacts through its S.M.A.R.T. Siting Act. Baltimore County Council passed a one-year moratorium in February, requiring its Planning Board to report on electricity, water use, and economic benefits by October 1. Carroll County also passed a 12-month moratorium in February. Harford County leaders, after rejecting a proposed moratorium, are now moving towards emergency legislation for a permanent ban on data centers. Baltimore City is also considering a similar one-year pause on construction.