Calvert County Residents Rally As Commissioners Halt Data Center Development

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — Dozens of residents, environmental advocates and political candidates gathered outside the Calvert County Administration Building in Prince Frederick on Tuesday, Aug. 18, calling for a pause on data center development shortly before the Calvert County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) unanimously approved a six-month moratorium.

The rally was organized by the Chesapeake Climate Action Network Action Fund (CCAN Action Fund), with participation from Citizens for Calvert. Speakers raised concerns about what they described as the potential effects of data centers on electricity costs, water resources, air quality, noise and Calvert County’s rural character.

Ethan Cox, the Democratic nominee for the District 1 seat on the BOCC, was among the rally’s speakers. In an interview with The BayNet shortly before the event, Cox described the proposed moratorium as an initial victory for residents who had spent months pressing county officials to act.

“We are on the verge of the first real victory of this movement, which is halting data center approvals in Calvert County,” Cox said. “We’ve been working on this for six months. You would think the moratorium would last longer than it took to get the moratorium, but we’re here to make sure we see this first part through to the finish line and then continue the work.”

Lauren Gygax, Maryland program associate for CCAN Action Fund, also addressed the rally. In a statement provided to The BayNet, she said the gathering brought together advocates from Calvert County and elsewhere who have been working to restrict data center development.

“Thanks to the advocacy of residents, Calvert County is finally pumping the brakes on data center development,” Gygax said. “A moratorium is the appropriate response to ensure that proper research is done into the effects of data centers in Calvert and to ensure that the commissioners can create the strongest regulations possible to protect against data center harms, if they decide to move forward with data centers at all.”

Gygax said a six-month pause was a positive step, but she argued that a longer moratorium would give the county more time to study the issue and develop potential regulations.

Danielle Pak, vice president of Citizens for Calvert, said the moratorium was only the beginning of a longer process.

“Although we know that passing this moratorium is only the first step, we know that when we fight for accountability, we win,” Pak said. “And when we fight for transparency, we win. And when we fight for a better Calvert, we win.”

Melissa Emmal, a Huntingtown resident who launched an online petition calling for a pause on data center development, also addressed the crowd. The petition had received more than 10,000 signatures by the time commissioners considered the moratorium.

Dr. Janette Wysocki also spoke during the rally. Wysocki serves on the Calvert County Environmental Commission but clarified before delivering her remarks that she was speaking as an individual and not on behalf of the commission.

“This is the first step,” Wysocki said. “Now we go to the next step.”

She encouraged residents to remain involved as the county studies the potential effects of data centers and considers possible changes to its zoning and development regulations.

Frederick Johnson, a policy specialist with the Center for Engagement, Environmental Justice and Health (CEEJH), brought a regional environmental justice perspective to the rally.

Johnson, an urban planner by training, discussed protecting air and water quality, agricultural land, green space, walkable communities and healthy learning environments as officials consider large development projects.

“All of that could be in jeopardy when we’re trying to rush the development of data centers across the country,” Johnson said.

Several candidates for state and local office attended the rally. In addition to Cox, those in attendance included Michael Bennett, the Democratic nominee for the District 3 seat on the BOCC; Chuck Borges, the Democratic nominee for the District 29 state Senate seat; and Andy Ellis, the Green Party candidate for governor of Maryland.

Following the rally, the BOCC held a public hearing and voted 5-0 to adopt a six-month moratorium on the acceptance and approval of site plan applications for data center development.

According to Calvert County’s data center information page, the moratorium takes effect Aug. 28. During the pause, the county plans to study the potential effects of data centers and determine whether additional land-use regulations are needed.

Gygax said the debate extends beyond Calvert County because data centers can affect electricity and water resources shared across jurisdictional boundaries. She called for greater state-level involvement, arguing that individual counties themselves do not always have the same regulatory authority or technical expertise when approached by developers.

The Maryland Office of People’s Counsel (OPC) has said rapidly increasing electricity demand from data centers in the regional power grid is contributing to higher capacity and transmission costs that are ultimately passed on to utility customers.

CCAN Action Fund plans to hold a “People Over Data Centers” conference in November to connect organizations working on the issue across Maryland and build support for a statewide moratorium.

For the advocates gathered outside the county administration building, the commissioners’ vote marked a significant step after months of public organizing. Their focus now turns to what the county does during the six-month pause and whether county studies determine that additional regulations are needed.

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