Montgomery County residents push back on data center proposal
Data center divide: DMV residents push back against plans to develop more centers across the region
Residents across the DMV are continuing to push back on data center development in the region. FOX 5's Katie Barlow and Shirin Rajaee have team coverage tonight as court battles and community debates are underway in Prince William County and Montgomery County tonight.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - Dozens of Montgomery County residents sounded off at a public hearing Tuesday concerning data centers and how the county should address an issue that's now sparking debate across the region.
What they're saying:
Roughly 30 Montgomery County residents showed up on Tuesday to express their concerns about data centers coming to their community. It’s a heated debate playing out in several communities across the region.
Many people are worried about the real impacts on their neighborhoods, their health, the environment and their money, as the centers have notably contributed to higher energy costs for residents.
READ MORE: DMV leaders meet with Trump administration to address data center energy costs
"This is biological warfare, medical warfare, a direct cause of Alzheimer’s," Montgomery County resident Stephanie McNicholas said.
"We do need strong regulation and siding parameters for data centers to ensure that they are only in industrial zones if they get pushed through. This will help us safeguard our families to some extent and limit some extent of harm to our overall public health," said Olivia Burlingame.
What we know:
The controversy centers around two competing proposals introduced last month.
One would change the county’s zoning code, limiting where data centers can be built and adding new requirements on size, setbacks, and infrastructure.
The other would hit pause, creating a task force to study environmental, energy and community impacts before any new rules are put in place.
Supporters of stronger regulation say data centers use enormous amounts of electricity and water — and could drive up utility costs for everyone else.
Opponents warn that moving too fast could push development — and jobs — out of the county.
Dig deeper:
FOX 5 spoke to the council president about the bill that she helped introduce that would pinpoint where these data centers would go.
"Right now, they can go anywhere in the county, including places near homes and communities, ok? And I find that to be a big problem. So, restricting where they should be located is key. Because it's not just that the data centers should be in a neutral zone, there are also setback requirements to where a home can be located. We don't have any of this in our land use and that's a big problem," Montgomery County Council President Natali Fani-Gonzalez said.
Right now, a data center is being built in Dickerson, which is in an industrial zone. That expected timeline is coming up in a few months.
The council president says they will be making amendments to these bills based on today’s public hearing, and several work sessions will be scheduled for this summer.