CCAN Action Fund pledge asks candidates to commit to 100% clean-energy data centers  

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Amid rising concern over unchecked data center growth and escalating electricity costs for voters and communities, more than 100 candidates for the Maryland House of Delegates and State Senate have signed a pledge supporting a future state policy that would require all new data centers to be powered by 100% clean energy. Signatories include incumbents from key legislative committees as well as Republican and Democratic candidates from every part of the state. The pledge defines clean energy as a combination of solar, wind, battery storage, demand response, and energy efficiency. The survey was organized by Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) Action Fund as Maryland state elections approach.

“Data centers are spreading like wildfire, consuming vital resources and imposing huge costs. Requiring them to run on 100% clean energy is a common-sense step that should be required statewide to protect our climate and our communities,” said Brittany Baker, Maryland Director at CCAN Action Fund. “We are encouraged that so many aspiring lawmakers recognize the need for data centers to provide their own clean, new, and affordable energy resources. These leaders view this new standard as the floor for data center regulation and not the ceiling. Together, we will work with on-the-ground stakeholders statewide to support additional data center reforms, including water restrictions, noise limits, moratoriums, and bans where appropriate, as well as additional siting restrictions.”

Energy demands from the rapidly expanding data center industry threaten to undermine Maryland’s climate goals and increase pollution in already overburdened communities. A single proposed facility in Charles County, powered by a new one-gigawatt gas plant, could emit an estimated three million tons of carbon dioxide annually. These projects often rely on diesel backup generators that release toxic local pollutants, increasing health risks for nearby communities. Data center projects proposed in Montgomery, Frederick, and Prince George’s Counties could collectively trigger a surge in emissions, threatening to reverse years of progress on clean energy and climate justice.

“Data centers are the top issue on most Maryland voters’ minds right now,” said Mike Tidwell, Executive Director of CCAN Action Fund. “Candidates are hearing the pollution concerns and the climate concerns – and that’s why so many of them have gladly signed this pledge to protect human health and the atmosphere by mandating 100% clean data centers. These are leaders who listen and then protect their voters.”

As the election approaches, pledge organizers plan to continue expanding candidate participation and elevating data center policy as key issues for voters across the state.

Notable Signatories include: Delegate Marc Korman, Delegate C.T. Wilson, Delegate Lorig Charkoudian, Delegate Malcolm Ruff, Delegate Regina Boyce, Senator Anthony Muse, Delegate Jheanelle Wilkins, Delegate Michele Guyton, Delegate Stuart Schmidt as well as candidates for office, including Bobby LaPin, Chuck Cook, Joshua Heard, Aaron Corbin, Sunil Dasgupta, and Raheela Ahmed. 

Read the full pledge and list of signatory candidates HERE.

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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.