HARFORD COUNTY, Md. — Harford County leaders are moving closer to a permanent ban on data center development as residents continue to pack county council chambers demanding action.
Harford County neighbors push for emergency legislation to ban data centers
"This is about protecting the character, environment, infrastructure and future of our community," Diana said.
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Meetings in Harford County council chambers have drawn crowds of residents wearing green to represent the spaces they hope to protect.
County Executive Bob Cassilly has proposed a permanent ban on data centers, with a public hearing scheduled for June 9. Councilmember Jacob Bennett has proposed a moratorium on data center development, with a public hearing set for May 19.
He has since proposed extending that moratorium to 180 days to bridge the gap before a permanent ban could take effect.
"It will give us full coverage to allow nothing to move forward, from now until then, so that's why continuing with both bills side by side is important, the county executive is sealing the jar, and we're making sure that jar is airtight," Bennett said.
But some residents and elected officials say the process needs to happen faster. Delegate Lauren Arikan called for emergency legislation.
"You need one bill, you need one ban, and it needs to be emergency legislation; you can do it immediately," Arikan said.
Brian Tawney of Our Land Our Home Our Harford echoed that call.
"The Annapolis legislature does this all the time with emergency legislation. When you have this many members of the community so concerned about our health and safety and welfare of the community, we really need the county council to step up and pass this as emergency legislation," Tawney said.
Bennett said the council has discussed the emergency legislation option and that he reached out to the council's attorney early on to ask if they have legal justification to do so.
Residents say they have no intention of backing down.
"People are scared, but it's been kind of special to see it pull everybody together, but we're locking arms, and we're fighting this thing," said Bryan Cornell of Our Land Our Home Our Harford.
And after the county, they've got eyes on Annapolis.
"What we're really trying to do as an organization is expand this to Our Land, Our Home, Our Maryland. I think it's important for all Marylanders, not just us in Harford County, to understand the impacts data centers can have on communities," Tawney said.
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