Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich conveyed on Friday that his newly enacted six-month moratorium will not hinder the planning board’s ongoing collaboration with the Atmosphere Data Centers group.
During a news conference on Friday afternoon, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich announced an executive order that imposes a six-month halt on permitting for new data centers.
Elrich clarified that the order instructs the Department of Permitting Services to “temporarily pause the acceptance and processing of permit applications for new data centers in Montgomery County.”
“This is not a prohibition on data centers. It isn’t a declaration against the future construction of data centers in Montgomery County, nor is it a critique of any specific proposal,” he explained. Rather, he emphasized, “This is intended to provide Montgomery County with the necessary time to formulate clear regulations and expectations before permit applications begin to flow through the process.”
The county executive highlighted that, while there are existing zoning and permitting regulations for various developments, “at present, Montgomery County lacks specific regulations tailored to data centers,” he stated.
Elrich expressed his commitment to establishing pertinent regulations to be in place prior to the influx of applications, asserting, “It is beneficial for everyone to have a clear understanding of the forthcoming rules before we proceed.”
There are several proposals currently before the Montgomery County Council. Councilmember Marilyn Balcombe, who is part of the Transportation and Environment Committee, remarked, “The moratorium doesn’t indicate that we will halt our efforts. Instead, it signifies that we will intensify our work” to develop regulations that respond to community concerns.
During Friday’s briefing, Councilmembers Will Jawando and Kristin Mink expressed their perspectives as well. Jawando shared that he and Mink had suggested a two-year moratorium, adding, “While we might not see eye-to-eye on every detail concerning the moratorium, we unanimously agree on the necessity of taking the correct steps.”
In a written statement, Montgomery County Council President Natali Fani-Gonzalez remarked, “With the moratorium established, we now have the time needed to finalize the Data Center Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 26-01.”
She further explained that this measure “sets clear definitions and restricts data centers to industrial zones, subject to conditional use-review,” addressing factors such as noise, environmental safeguards, and site selection.
Jawando referenced the California-based Atmosphere Data Centers, which is collaborating with the county’s planning board to identify a suitable location for a data center on a former coal-fired power plant site in Dickerson. He acknowledged that he believes the developers have positive intentions, stating, “However, good intentions do not guarantee results.”
Councilmember Evan Glass, who is also campaigning for the county executive role, was present at the event but did not have the opportunity to speak. After the executive order was enacted, he expressed his views to WTOP.
“I’ve put forth two legislative proposals, one aimed at creating a task force that would be examining this right now, and another, which ultimately failed, to propose a six-month halt,” Glass remarked. “While none of the speakers today endorsed my proposals, I am appreciative that they are now aligned and taking steps forward.”
Caroline Taylor, representing the Montgomery Countryside Alliance, expressed her approval regarding the six-month moratorium. She articulated concerns about noise pollution, potential impacts on water infrastructure, and the financial implications for energy consumers: “Who is going to cover the costs associated with this industry’s energy consumption?”
Elrich reaffirmed that while his directive does not impede the planning board’s partnerships with Atmosphere Data Centers, it will prevent the issuance of a permit for the facility throughout the duration of the moratorium.
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