Wicomico County council weighs data center moratorium

WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. — Wicomico County Council members discussed a proposed moratorium on data centers during Tuesday night’s meeting, drawing public comment from residents concerned about the potential impact on the community.

“I know, I actually used AI to prepare for this speech,” resident Nigel Clark said during public comment.

“I want an outright ban on all large-scale data centers. We don’t have the capacity to run this,” resident Matt Blaze said.

Residents voiced concerns about the rapid growth of data centers, with many warning about potential effects on housing costs, electricity demand, noise, light pollution, water usage and the environment.

“Wicomico County residents cannot afford higher costs for housing and power. Nor can we lose the landscape and wildlife that make this region unique,” resident Maureen Leato Brewster said. “I ask you to please place a moratorium on data centers in Wicomico County to preserve our way of life.”

Blaze also questioned the benefits of expanding data centers.

“For what? For AI? Half the videos you see on the internet nowadays, you can’t even trust if they’re real or not. Half of it’s used for nefarious purposes,” Blaze said.

Council member Josh Hastings, who represents District 4, said generating AI content requires significant amounts of electricity.

“A standard five-second AI video is like having your home microwave on for an hour straight,” Hastings said. “The energy consumption is absurd.”

District 5 Council member Joe Holloway said he supports a moratorium but believes the county will need support from state lawmakers.

“A lot of the stuff we do on this council can be overridden by the state,” Holloway said. “We know how the state likes to push things down on the Eastern Shore from the Western Shore.”

Tracey Taylor, director of Planning, Zoning and Community Development, said a permanent ban on data centers would likely face legal challenges.

“We have already been warned through MACo that a complete ban is likely out of the question,” Taylor said. “We will end up in a lawsuit if we attempt to go that direction, so I do think this moratorium will give us some time to thoughtfully consider regulations.”