Residents and advocates rallied outside, calling for action before the council approved a one-year pause on large developments to assess environmental, economic, and grid impacts

BALTIMORE, MD — A Baltimore City Council bill to establish a one-year moratorium on new large-scale data center construction was passed by the Council and sent to Mayor Brandon M. Scott yesterday. If signed by the Mayor, Council Bill 26-0158 would pause approval of new data centers above 10 megawatts.

“It’s clear that data center facilities are a threat to greenhouse gas reduction goals, ratepayers, water resources, public health, and the working class,” said Brittany Baker, Maryland Director of CCAN Action Fund. “This moratorium gives state and local regulations time to catch up and ensure communities and resources are protected.”

To call for swift passage of the moratorium, Baltimore residents and advocates gathered outside City Hall alongside Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) Action Fund, Interfaith Power and Light, and Sacred Parks and Waterways last Thursday at the Land Use & Transportation Committee public hearing. The legislation also directs the Department of Planning to conduct a comprehensive data center impact study – ensuring Baltimore City leaders are equipped with enough information on the impacts and risks posed by data centers within our communities. 

“As people of faith, we believe our communities are sacred; they are not sacrifice zones for unchecked AI infrastructure and corporate profit,” said Anjali Gulati, Green Dharma DMV Organizer & Climate Equity Associate, Interfaith Power and Light DMV. 

If signed by the Mayor, the Data Center Moratorium would also run concurrently with the recently passed statewide Data Center Impact Analysis and Report, which requires the Maryland Department of the Environment, the Maryland Energy Administration, and the University of Maryland School of Business to analyze the environmental, energy, and economic impacts of data center development within Maryland. The findings of the report are due in September 2026.

“We have an opportunity to make informed decisions about the role these data centers play in our lives by putting our neighborhoods and our families first, where our most cherished resources belong,” added Dustin Branch, Baltimore Regional Coordinator with CCAN Action Fund.

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Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) Action Fund is dedicated to driving change in public policies at the local, state, and national levels to address the climate crisis. Through voter education, lobbying, and participation in the electoral process, we seek to advance our country’s leadership in the global movement toward clean energy solutions — focusing our efforts primarily in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. We know that a vibrant democracy is central to our success so we work to defend democratic integrity wherever we can.