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Last Update: 10/27/2026 at 5:34 AM EST
Local Data Center Development Rules
Coverage from In the Arena, Montgomery County, and others
Local governments are using moratoria, zoning definitions, siting restrictions, and permit review to determine how proposed data centers may be built.
Montgomery County, Maryland, illustrates these approaches: officials paused permits and considered zoning limits while reviewing concerns including water use, electricity demand, noise, infrastructure, and environmental effects. A proposed data center in Dickerson has brought particular attention to potential water use from the Potomac River. These decisions show how local planning and regulatory processes weigh large development proposals alongside community and resource concerns.
Looking Back
180 Day Timeline
May 8
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All Articles49 articles
Important
Montgomery County, Maryland, approved an 18-month moratorium on new and pending data center permits, pausing Atmosphere Data Centers' proposed Dickerson campus.
7/31/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County Council committees in Maryland advanced an 18-month data center moratorium and ZTA 26-01 for final votes on July 28.
7/24/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County officials imposed temporary restrictions on new data center approvals in Maryland in May 2026 while reviewing infrastructure, environmental, and community impacts.
8/11/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County, Tennessee, officials proposed data center zoning rules requiring resource and noise plans because existing utility capacity cannot support another mega-center.
9/16/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County Council approved an 18-month halt on new data center permits in Maryland to study infrastructure, water, environmental, fiscal, and community effects.
8/3/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County officials approved an 18-month data center development moratorium in Maryland to review environmental, zoning, water, tax, and infrastructure impacts.
7/29/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County Council approved an 18-month moratorium on large-scale data center approvals in Montgomery County, Maryland, on July 28, pausing Atmosphere's Dickerson campus proposal while zoning rules are developed.
7/29/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
On July 22, county committees advanced an 18-month data center moratorium and a zoning amendment banning data centers over 25 MW for a July 28 County Council vote.
7/24/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Worcester County Commissioners voted in Maryland to impose a one-year moratorium on data centers and cable landing facilities while zoning rules are updated for Globalinx and other projects.
7/23/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County Economic Development Committee voted unanimously to recommend an 18-month data center moratorium while adopting definitions tied to 25 MW energy demand.
7/23/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County, Maryland council committees advanced an 18-month data center moratorium and a 25 MW zoning limit ahead of a July 28 vote.
7/22/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Caroline County commissioners in Maryland imposed an immediate one-year moratorium on new data center permits in unincorporated areas to enable regulation drafting and public review.
7/21/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Baltimore County, Maryland, will consider extending a data center moratorium and adopting stricter zoning and environmental oversight after a Planning Board hearing and vote in September.
7/17/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Caroline County, Maryland, prepared future data center zoning and review options after determining municipal zoning control limits county authority for a Federalsburg-contained proposal.
7/14/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Prince George's County, Maryland adopted a two-year moratorium on hyperscale data center development after debate over siting, water supply impacts, and utility pressure.
7/13/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Krystal Oriadha sponsored a two-year Prince George's County moratorium on data center development after resident protests over a Landover Mall hyperscale proposal.
7/10/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Prince George's County Council approved a two-year moratorium on new data center development in Maryland after a public hearing, while the county executive halted permitting through September.
7/8/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Washington County Commissioners in Maryland approved a 12-month moratorium on data center applications on June 30 amid concerns about zoning, water use, and utility impacts.
6/30/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich signed a six-month moratorium on new data center permit applications in Maryland as zoning rules are revised.
6/15/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Marc Elrich announced a six-month Montgomery County order pausing new data-center permit processing while zoning rules are drafted.
6/13/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Washington County commissioners approved a 12-month data-center application moratorium on June 30, 2026, covering unincorporated Washington County, Maryland, to study future land-use rules.
9/30/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County Council approved an 18-month data center permitting moratorium on July 28 in Montgomery County, Maryland, to study industry impacts.
8/12/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County officials paused data center development for 18 months in Maryland after public discussions, allowing time to develop safeguards with community and state-level partners.
8/6/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County Council members in Maryland unanimously approved an 18-month data center moratorium and a 25-megawatt zoning limit amid local concerns about hyperscale development.
7/28/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Worcester County commissioners imposed a 12-month moratorium on July 21, 2026, suspending data center and cable landing station permits in Worcester County, Maryland.
7/21/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County, Maryland, plans council committee reviews of data center moratorium bills and zoning text changes on July 22, with full Council action scheduled for July 28.
7/16/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Prince George's County, Maryland, enacted a two-year moratorium on data center development while addressing environmental impacts and potential enforceable community benefits agreements.
7/20/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Montgomery Countryside Alliance asks for participation in a Maryland Department of the Environment virtual hearing on Aug 5 about a water-discharge permit for proposed Dickerson Data Centers.
7/11/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Interesting
Will Jawando and Maryland advocates are seeking a two-year data center moratorium in Montgomery County to address environmental impacts, electricity demand, utility rates, and taxpayer subsidies.
11/3/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Montgomery County officials approved an 18-month moratorium on new data center permits in July, while Atmosphere Data Centers evaluates a proposed Dickerson campus.
8/30/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County Council approved an 18-month data center permitting moratorium and hyperscale zoning prohibition in Montgomery County, Maryland.
7/29/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Baltimore County Council members in Maryland discuss extending a data center moratorium as a planning board report due October 1 guides decisions.
7/17/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Prince George's County Council in Maryland approved a two-year hyperscale data center development moratorium after public testimony on water, environmental effects, and utility strain.
7/8/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Prince George's County Council passed a two-year moratorium on hyperscale data centers in Maryland to reassess water, health, and utility impacts while crafting future legislation.
7/7/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Prince George's County Chair Oriadha announced a proposed two-year moratorium on new data center operations in Prince George's County, Maryland, to complete reviews of land use, power, water, and environmental impacts.
7/1/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Chester County Council approved first reading of a six-month pause on data center applications on June 15, 2026, in Chester County, South Carolina.
6/18/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County council heard public comment in Maryland on competing bills proposing six-month versus two-year moratoriums on data center permits.
6/17/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Milton City Council approved a 30-day data-center permitting moratorium on Monday, with potential extension decisions planned for July.
6/16/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County, Maryland temporarily paused processing new data-center permit applications while county council and state assessments develop data-center-specific rules.
6/13/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Marc Elrich enacted a six-month Montgomery County data center moratorium in Rockville, addressing opposition to Terra Energy plans in Dickerson and concerns about Potomac River water impacts.
6/12/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich proposed a six-month pause on new data center permit applications in Montgomery County, Maryland, reported June 12, 2026.
6/12/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Howard County Council passed the S.M.A.R.T. Act on June 1, pausing new data center development while a task force reviews zoning updates until November 2027.
6/6/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Queen Anne's County Commissioners approved a 12-month moratorium on data center applications in Maryland to develop zoning and performance standards starting immediately.
6/4/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Queen Anne's County, Maryland approved an immediate 12-month moratorium on data center application reviews to study infrastructure, utility, and environmental impacts.
6/4/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Evan Glass and Will Jawando, seeking Montgomery County, Maryland county executive, proposed moratoriums on new data center permits amid concerns over water, air pollution, and energy costs.
5/9/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Howard County Council in Ellicott City, Maryland considered a proposed S.M.A.R.T. Siting bill to pause new data center projects for up to 18 months.
5/8/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County Council is considering data-center zoning changes and permitting moratoriums during upcoming committee and public-hearing processes in Maryland.
6/16/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Maryland county officials considered extending a six-month data center construction moratorium at a County Council Economic Development Committee meeting in late June.
7/21/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Montgomery County, Maryland residents supported a proposed two-year data center moratorium during a public hearing, after a six-month pause was announced by County Executive Marc Elrich.
6/16/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General