Data center restrictions tracker · Maryland

Montgomery County, Maryland: data center moratorium (2026)

Data snapshot 2026-08-15 · part of Pricing the Fear of Data Centers

Montgomery County, Maryland, adopted a data-center moratorium on July 28, 2026. Its status in this snapshot is in force.

Montgomery County, Maryland, adopted a data-center moratorium on June 13, 2026. Its status in this snapshot is enacted.

Montgomery County, Maryland, adopted a data-center zoning exclusion on February 2, 2026. Its status in this snapshot is in force.

The records read: "548-day data-center moratorium, adopted 2026-07-28, active per tracker (Moratorium Nation)." "On June 13, 2026 Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich signed an executive order imposing a six-month moratorium on new data center permits, directing the Department of Permitting Services to stop accepting or processing applications… (datacentertracker.org)." "Montgomery County, Maryland, enacted a moratorium on new data center development through the end of 2026, prompted by Atmosphere Data Centers' proposed 300MW complex on 170 acres in Dickerson. The zoning text amendment ZTA 26-01 is… (datacentertracker.org)."

Details

ActionClassStatusDateMW thresholdScopeSource
Moratoriumrestrictionin forceJuly 28, 2026county-wideMoratorium Nation (ALEA Institute)
MoratoriumrestrictionenactedJune 13, 2026county-widedatacentertracker.org
Zoning exclusionrestrictionin forceFebruary 2, 2026county-widedatacentertracker.org

Jurisdiction type: county. County: Montgomery County. Dataset: moratorium nation. Snapshot August 15, 2026; documented actions, not a census.

Elsewhere in Montgomery County

Maryland context

Maryland has 18 documented local actions across 14 jurisdictions in this snapshot. At the state level, the state has a ratepayer-protection law (enacted).

A town that says no to a data center gives up local tax revenue, not jobs: one large campus pays $2M to $90M a year depending on the tax regime, against roughly 50 permanent jobs. The parent piece prices it and lists the conditions that beat a ban.

Sources

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