Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore is commissioning a new state task force to examine new data center proposals, and advise local jurisdictions considering the projects.
The final decision on data center projects still rests with local governments, he said during a news conference Wednesday morning in Annapolis, during which he signed an executive order on the subject. Many county governments in Maryland have placed temporary pauses on new data center development, and one county has banned the projects.
“Our administration will always stand with the people, and the state will not go around a local community’s ‘no,’” Moore said.
Moore said he also plans to advocate for the repeal of a state tax exemption for data centers, established in 2020, during the next legislative session, which is set to begin in January.
Moore’s new task force, which will be staffed by seven state agencies, will evaluate proposals based on whether they protect electricity ratepayers from cost burdens, whether they include sufficient environmental protections and whether they have the support of the community, among other factors.
“They need to pay their own way, or they need to go away,” Moore said.
The task force will decide whether projects are “aligned, conditionally aligned, or not aligned” with the state’s principles.
The governor also established a public online dashboard, which will be updated monthly and list data center proposals and certain specifications about them.
“Any company seeking the state’s help will have to make commitments that are specific, that are measurable, and importantly, that are public,” Moore said.
This article will be updated.
