Maryland, My Maryland

 From the Bay Journal, Maryland governor opts for new data center standards over moratorium

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) issued an executive order Sept. 23 establishing a state task force that will compel data center developers to stop closed-door dealings and minimize their projects’ adverse impacts on local communities, ecosystems and energy infrastructure.  Moore also promised to roll back state tax incentives for data centers but stopped short of pausing new data center development, much to the dismay of Maryland environmental groups.

His order comes as states across the Chesapeake Bay watershed adopt stricter policies that either pause new data center development, such as New York, or require developers to meet stringent requirements, as established by Virginia and Pennsylvania. It also backtracks on the comments Moore made less than a week before the signing, when he told a reporter with Punchbowl News that he’d approve a statewide data center moratorium if presented with one.

During a press conference after the signing Moore instead took aim at the tax incentives passed by the General Assembly in 2020, saying the policy has contributed to the industry’s heavy influence over state data center regulations. “Before I was elected governor… the data centers were calling the shots,” Moore said. “The data centers and corporations were the ones writing the rules. And today, that ends.”

Under Moore’s policy, the state task force will review data center proposals with over 25 megawatts in peak energy demand and hold them to a variety of standards. Those include requirements that such a facility either generate its own electricity or offset the costs of harnessing power from the public grid, and that developers prioritize hiring Maryland residents .

The task force is also charged with maintaining a public dashboard with concise details on each data center’s parent company, energy demand, water use, and employment numbers. Any developer that refuses to cooperate or follow state standards will be labeled as “not aligned,” according to the order, and miss out on a coordinated review process by state regulators.

A little intrusive, but not as bad as an outright moratorium.