Queen Anne's County pulled the plug, at least for now, on large-scale data centers on Thursday, June 4, 2026. The Board of County Commissioners approved a temporary 12-month moratorium on accepting and processing data center applications while local leaders sort out how the fast-growing industry could strain water supplies, power systems and land use.
Pause To Study Impacts
The yearlong pause, which took effect immediately, stops approvals and the processing of any new data center proposals so county staff can study potential effects on infrastructure, utilities and environmental resources, according to CBS Baltimore. Commissioners say the breathing room is meant to give the county time to draft performance standards, update zoning rules and put safeguards in place before any future projects advance.
Officials Say It's Not A Ban
“While interest in data center development has increased, our existing local zoning regulations were not specifically designed to address the potential impacts associated with these contemporary data center facilities,” County Commissioner Phil Dumenil said in a statement, as reported by CBS Baltimore. Meeting minutes show the topic has been on recent agendas as commissioners moved the idea toward a formal resolution; the May 12 minutes specifically note a “Moratorium Resolution Data Center Study,” according to the Queen Anne's County record.
Why Water, Power And Zoning Matter
Resource demands sit at the center of the debate. Researchers estimate a typical data center can use roughly 300,000 gallons of water a day, and some hyperscale sites may draw millions of gallons, a level that can overwhelm smaller municipal systems. Brookings details the scale of cooling-related water consumption, while the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s 2012 commercial buildings survey provides context by showing that large commercial buildings average about 22,000 gallons per day. U.S. Energy Information Administration
Part Of A Bigger Maryland Trend
Queen Anne’s move is part of a broader Maryland push to tap the brakes on the data center rush while officials study local impacts. Baltimore County adopted a temporary suspension of permits in February that requires a Planning Board report and recommendations by Oct. 1, 2026, according to the Baltimore County Council bill. Howard County has introduced the S.M.A.R.T. Siting Act, which would pause new plan submissions and create a task force focused on siting, water, noise, and decommissioning standards. Other Maryland jurisdictions, including Carroll and Harford counties, have imposed deferrals, passed moratoria, or proposed bans as officials schedule public hearings and technical reviews, according to local reporting from WMAR2 News and various pieces of county legislation that map out a patchwork of approaches statewide.
What Comes Next
During the pause, county staff plan to convene utility and environmental experts, meet with residents and other stakeholders, and return to the commissioners with recommended zoning updates and performance standards. The stated goal is to make sure any future proposals, if they move forward at all, are evaluated against community priorities and the capacity of local infrastructure. The board’s meeting record outlines the planning intent behind the resolution. Queen Anne's County
