In Southern Maryland, data center bid prompts larger debate
Residents in Charles County, Maryland, are fiercely opposing a proposed zoning text amendment that would allow for a 355-acre data center, Maryland's largest, near the community of Newburg. The proposal includes converting an old coal plant to natural gas for power, raising concerns about water usage, air pollution, and electricity costs. The county planning commission has twice recommended denial, with the final decision pending a high-stakes vote by county commissioners.
Residents in Charles County, Maryland, are engaged in a heated debate over a proposed zoning text amendment that would pave the way for data center development in the Southern Maryland county. At a recent June 1 meeting, hundreds of residents expressed strong opposition, citing concerns about massive resource consumption, including electricity and water, and potential environmental impacts from the proposed 355-acre data center site near Newburg.
The proposal, spearheaded by TeraWulf, involves building Maryland's largest data center and converting the existing Morgantown Generating Station, an old coal plant, to natural gas for power. Opponents, including the Charles County Against Data Centers Coalition and groups like Public Citizen and Nature Forward, fear the project will strain drinking water reserves, raise electricity bills, and increase air pollution, especially from backup diesel generators. The Maryland Department of the Environment's environmental justice mapper lists the proposed site's census tract as "overburdened."
Despite the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) Secretary Serena McIlwain pledging to expedite the review process for the redevelopment due to site cleanup benefits, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is still deliberating on TeraWulf’s acquisition of the Morgantown plant. The Maryland Office of People’s Counsel (OPC) has urged FERC to reject the transaction, citing TeraWulf’s operational and financial history and reliance on volatile bitcoin-mining revenue.
The Charles County Planning Commission has twice urged denial of the zoning amendment, recommending tighter restrictions such as limiting data centers to industrial zones, banning drinking water for cooling, and requiring companies to cover infrastructure costs. The Charles County Commissioners, who previously voted 3-2 to send the amendment back for review, are expected to hold a high-stakes vote in the coming weeks, a decision that comes amidst a broader state debate that has seen other Maryland counties enact data center moratoriums or temporary pauses.