HARFORD COUNTY, Md. — The Harford County Council moved one step closer to banning data center development Tuesday night, approving amendments to make the county executive's ban emergency legislation and scrapping a separate moratorium bill.
Harford County Council moves forward with emergency legislation to ban data centers
Not a single seat was empty at the public hearing in Bel Air. Several people had to wait in the lobby, with dozens ready to share their thoughts about putting a pause on data center development — about 46 speakers in all.
Before public comment began, Harford County Councilmember Jacob Bennett announced changes to the approach to halting data center development.
"I would like to explore amending the county executive's bill to be emergency legislation, because if that was to be able to be done, we would no longer need the moratorium bill," Bennett said.
Last week, neighbors pushed for that emergency legislation.
Neighbors still shared their voices, with some expressing gratitude and others raising additional concerns, such as also banning battery storage facilities and putting protections in place so the state can't override the ban.
Some Tuesday marked the first time the owner of Mountain Branch Golf Course — the site councilmembers say developers were looking to build a data center on — shared his side.
"We're not asking for blind trust; we're asking for real standards, power, water, noise, and environmental standards," Bill Vasilakopoulos, Owner of Mountain Branch golf course, said. "Please vote against this bill, set strong local standards instead of a moratorium or a ban; this is the difference between panic and policy."
He shared a website laying out the plans. The golf course's general manager presented a community benefits agreement committing to land preservation, taxpayer protection, and local jobs. Labor union leaders also spoke in support.
"Concerns are fair, but the answer is not a permanent ban; it is smart planning and responsible oversight. Because if we turn away from this entirely, the jobs don't disappear and neither does the revenue, it just goes somewhere else, and Harford County loses both," Ryan Ambrose of UA Local 486 said.
The council moved forward anyway, approving amendments to make the county executive's bill emergency legislation. The council then scrapped the moratorium bill entirely.
A public hearing on the county executive's ban is scheduled for June 9. The ban could go into effect shortly after that with his signature.
