Maryland leaders begin work on new data center regulations with statewide moratorium on the table
Maryland state and local leaders, environmental advocates and lawmakers are preparing new data center regulations, including a possible multi-year statewide moratorium to be introduced next year. Proposed measures could also require data centers to provide clean power, limit water use and address noise and secrecy agreements, while PJM reviews rejected grid-regulation proposals.
State and local leaders, climate advocates and lawmakers gathered at the Baltimore Convention Center to discuss Maryland’s next steps for regulating data centers. Chesapeake Climate Action Network Executive Director Mike Tidwell said Sens. Mary Washington and C.T. Wilson plan to introduce multi-year statewide moratorium legislation when the General Assembly reconvenes in January, and Gov. Wes Moore has indicated he would support a moratorium approved by lawmakers.
Del. Lorig Charkoudian is advocating requirements for data centers to provide new clean energy capacity rather than relying solely on the regional grid. Other potential legislation could address water consumption, closed-loop cooling systems, noise pollution and nondisclosure agreements. Moore has already created a Maryland Data Center Accountability Task Force and signed an order barring future state-agency nondisclosure agreements with data center developers. PJM’s proposals to address the grid impacts of large data center loads were rejected by FERC over technical issues and may be revised and refiled.