Anne Arundel County Council Pulls Away From Possible Data Center Ban

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — A proposed data center moratorium was unanimously passed by the Anne Arundel County Council this week, marking a notable shift away from a ban previously introduced.

The Monday vote signed onto a 15-month pause on data center development, allowing time for a work study to review best practices that have been taken by other Maryland counties.

The moratorium, introduced by 4th District Councilmember Julie Hummer, would not impact any data centers that are already in development in the county.

Prior to the vote, the council had been weighing an outright data center ban, which would have made it the second county to do so in Maryland.

Related: Counties Scramble To Respond To Data Centers, Setting Moratoriums, A Ban

Harford County is currently the only Maryland county to have undertaken such a measure. Moratoriums, however, are being tapped and weighed by several counties.

Anne Arundel County's potential ban was originally introduced in August by 3rd District Councilmember Nathan Volke, one of three Republicans on the County Council.

The legislation is up for an additional reading on Oct. 5.