BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. — Are data centers in Baltimore County a racial issue?
Some Woodlawn neighbors certainly think so based on a proposal to build a data center in their community.
In the court of public opinion, data centers in Baltimore County are viewed unfavorably by the majority of residents, especially those in Woodlawn.
That's after a data center was proposed to be built in that community, a proposal that was able to happen through a Baltimore County Council vote in 2024.
The vote and subsequent proposal left residents like Tewodros Desta El thinking that there one reason why that area was singled out - race.
“That’s just outright racist when you say that you’re not going to do it anywhere else but there," Desta El said.
According to the U.S. Census, Woodlawn has an over 50% Black population.
When it comes to the negative effects of data centers; noise, water usage, and high electricity bills, Desta El said the Black population would bear the brunt of it all.
“If you also know that that’s the smallest part of Baltimore county that looks like us and you have all these other areas to be at, again as a black person, if you were listening to them - why would he not have some speculation as to why would they decide to put it here?”
WMAR-2 News reached out to Councilman David Marks for a response.
In a message he wrote,
"Some of the criticisms are, I believe, politically motivated, but race has never been a consideration. The moratorium we will enact tonight will apply to the entire country and give everyone a chance to participate in discussions about the future. There would probably be similar concerns if a large data center was built elsewhere in the county as well."
Desta El told WMAR-2 News that the racial data center doesn't end there, but continues when it comes to who builds and works at the sites.
As a union worker, he agrees data centers can bring jobs in, but claims he doesn't see Black people get those jobs nearly enough.
“When I see the final class being decided on I’m like, what happened here," he said, “If they’re working on these jobs, whether the jobs are there or elsewhere. Then that increases the possibility of that wealth that’s being transferred throughout the populace, also through other demographics that didn’t get it and definitely didn’t get a chance to get it a long time ago.”
WMAR-2 News reached out to IBEW Local 24 for a response to those claims.
Business Manager Mike McHale said that no work has been done on the site and emphasized that their referral process is completely colorblind.
The county council will vote on extending the moratorium on data centers to December 2027 on Tuesday night.
It's expected to pass.
