County Executive Cassilly Signs Historic Legislation Banning Data Centers in Harford County

Harford became the first county in Maryland to ban data centers following a public hearing and unanimous council approval of legislation put forward by County Executive Bob Cassilly and signed into law Wednesday.

“I would like to thank the citizens who came to last night’s public hearing and everyone who offered support for my legislation,” County Executive Bob Cassilly said. “Together we are protecting Harford’s wonderful quality of life for our families and for future generations.”

During the public hearing on Bill 26-011, the following testimony on behalf of County Executive Cassilly was read into the record:

“Thank you for the opportunity to provide a statement about Bill 26-011 detailing my administration’s legislation banning data centers in Harford County.

As we sit here today, data centers are not a permitted use under Harford County's zoning code. Some may reasonably ask: if that is the case, why is this legislation necessary?

The answer is simple. As County Executive, I became alarmed by another bill that could have opened Harford County’s door to data centers.

That bill created a moratorium to plan for “guardrails” on data center development.

Over the past two years, as data centers began to proliferate the nation, we conducted extensive research and examined the experiences of communities across the country that have embraced large-scale data center development. After that review, we reached a clear conclusion: data centers are not in Harford County's best interest.

Among our significant concerns are the high energy demand, noise, water usage, and the overall impacts on our environment and quality of life.

A single hyperscale data center can consume enough electricity to power more than 100,000 homes, approximately the number of households in Harford County today. In practical terms, one facility could double the county's residential electricity demand, sending our residents’ and commercial community energy bills even higher.

Maryland is already struggling to meet its energy needs. Demand is increasing faster than supply. Last summer, Baltimore Gas & Electric warned of potential reliability issues and brownouts during periods of peak demand. Today, Maryland relies heavily on electricity generated outside its borders with more than 60% of our current power needed at peak load is generated outside of our state.

At the same time, many of the neighboring states that currently supply much of that power though the PJM (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland) cooperative have expressed growing concern about continuing to subsidize Maryland's energy shortfalls while we pursue data center development and policies that further increased demand. The reality is simple: our electric grid is already under strain, and large-scale data center development would only make that situation worse.

Data centers are also on a collision course with Maryland’s green energy policies that have greatly reduced in-state energy production.

The state is requiring 50% renewable energy in 2 years and 100% renewable energy within 7 years. This super-reliance on renewable energy is completely incompatible with data center development and energy consumption.

Some proposals seek to allow data centers to generate their own energy through nuclear or fossil-fuel-powered facilities while residents, businesses, and manufacturers remain subject to increasingly restrictive state green energy policies. That is neither equitable nor sustainable. Our state’s commitment to renewable energy is driving our residential rates higher each and every day.

Given all of this, why would a local government consider data centers?

The answer is tax revenue as data centers produce very few local jobs.

Communities such as Northern Virginia, which did have available energy capacity, embraced data centers based on promises of extraordinary tax receipts. Years later, many residents in our nations’ “data center capital” are now confronting the unintended consequences of unchecked growth - industrialization of rural landscapes, increasing energy demands, environmental concerns, and a diminished quality of life.

These troubles are not isolated to this country. As reported in this week’s Wall Street Journal, Ireland has just issued a halt to all data center development, as rapid deployment of data centers quickly consumed 1/5th of the country’s entire power supply.

Harford County has the benefit of learning from these experiences rather than repeating them.

Bill 26-010 takes a proactive approach. It provides certainty to our residents, protects our communities, and makes clear that Harford County will prioritize public health, environmental stewardship, responsible growth, and quality of life over speculative promises of revenue.

We cannot leave this issue to chance.

Our communities, our natural resources, and our quality of life are not commodities to be traded away.

That is why my Administration has brought this legislation before you today, and why I respectfully request your favorable consideration of Bill 26-010.

Thank you.
Bob Cassilly”