Baltimore County weighs extension of data-center moratorium

Baltimore County council members are moving toward a possible extension of the county’s temporary data-center moratorium, but no extension has been approved.

A bipartisan group of council members told WYPR on July 17 that they support giving the county more time to study the effects of large data centers. Legislation is expected to be introduced in August. Any extension would still need to go through the County Council’s legislative process, including public consideration and a vote.

What the current moratorium does

The existing pause was created through Baltimore County Council Bill 3-26, the county’s 2026 data-center study law. The measure temporarily suspends the authority to issue or grant permits for data centers and restricts county agencies from accepting or approving certain applications, development plans and zoning requests.

Under the law, the suspension lasts until January 1, 2027, or until 90 days after the Planning Board submits its report and recommendations to the County Council, whichever comes first. The County Council passed Bill 3-26 unanimously on February 2 after adopting amendments, according to the council’s official minutes.

What the county is studying

The Planning Board must submit its report by October 1, 2026, after reviewing county regulations and holding at least one public hearing. The required study covers the average electricity and public-water use of data centers and compares those demands with other large industrial and commercial uses, including warehouses, logistics facilities, manufacturing and research-and-development facilities.

The board also must compare tax revenue, assessed property values, employment density and broader economic effects. Its recommendations may address siting, zoning classifications, permitting, community notice, grants and tax credits, labor agreements, and whether different types of data centers should be regulated differently.

Those requirements do not mean the county has reached conclusions about data centers’ effects. Council members have pointed to unresolved questions involving power infrastructure, electricity pricing, water use, land use and public input. The study is intended to give officials more information before they consider permanent or longer-term rules.

Why regional grid policy matters

The local debate is unfolding as PJM Interconnection, the regional grid operator serving Maryland and 12 other states plus the District of Columbia, considers how to manage rising electricity demand from data centers.

WYPR reported that PJM members have been considering policies involving contracts for new power plants and situations in which demand exceeds available supply. Those regional decisions could influence how utilities, generators and regulators assign responsibility for infrastructure and reliability costs, although they do not determine Baltimore County’s zoning rules.

What residents should watch next

The next major local milestone is the Planning Board report due October 1. Residents, utility customers, property owners, developers and businesses should also watch for County Council legislation in August, public hearings and opportunities to comment.

For now, new data-center proposals in Baltimore County remain subject to the existing temporary pause. A possible extension applies to Baltimore County, not Baltimore City, and remains a proposal until the County Council takes final action.

Sources

• WYPR: Baltimore County's data center ban likely to be extended
• Baltimore County Council Bill 3-26