PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — There is currently no planned data center project, but the debate around whether or not to open the door to companies hoping to add one continued on Monday, Sept. 29, during the county’s Data Center 101 informational session.
During the presentation, Maryland Tech Council CEO Kelly Schulz emphasized the economic gains of a data center, claiming that it would directly and indirectly support 5,000 jobs during construction and 500 jobs once operational. Schulz also said a data center would generate $775 million in economic activity, and highlighted the tax revenue data centers bring to the county. The latest data center in Frederick, for example, is estimated to generate $40 million in real property and income tax for the county.
Schulz aimed to dispel some of the “fiction” people may have been hearing in their communities about data centers, including what they do, how they’re developed, and particularly, the effect on the communities. One major concern is water usage and water quality — Schulz said that many data centers use recycled or “gray water,” and new innovations allow for air cooling instead.
Calvert residents, meanwhile, expressed concerns about the economic and environmental effects of the data center and worried about overdevelopment and changes in home value. Residents were encouraged to write in comments beforehand, and many focused on a data center’s energy and water use and how that could affect the already rising cost of living in the county. Panelists didn’t have specific answers on rising bills, but said like any business, the data center would have a “unique set of needs” and would have to demonstrate its ability to meet those needs to get approved. County officials also said that they hoped to avoid mistakes nearby high-density communities have made over the last two decades.
Calvert residents have continued to push back about development projects, including town center updates and Lusby Villas, with the goal of maintaining a rural community. Schulz said that the data center would have to adhere to local county ordinances like any other business, and would have to be 500 feet from any residential dwelling, and could only occupy a limited square footage of land. This, she said, would help stave off overdevelopment.
However, those ordinances are not permanent and could be altered or revoked depending on the county’s future leadership, leaving many residents fearful of major projects.
A Calvert data center is likely years away, if it’s coming at all. Discussions around data centers will no doubt continue, and panelists encouraged more community involvement on the topic before concluding the information session.
Watch the full informational session below:
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It doesn’t matter what the citizens want, yet they keep asking for input.
example: Lusby ‘Villas” project
Of course Kelly wants this, she is the CEO of a “non-profit” tech company. I’m sure if this data center gets built, Kelly will make a ton of “non-profits”. Also what is the fiction she is referring too? Do you mean the fiction that these are the same data centers that are being built all around the country so Palantir can implement their dystopian surveillance grid. Or the fiction that these data canters are raising people’s electric bills to absurd amounts, some as high as $1000+.
Conspiracy theory much?
If they are talking about it then it’s coming
Google keeps data. I get concerned about so many decisions in our society based upon Google data\ results. My unanswered question is: how many websites, how many searches engines does Google have? If you’re trying to get other results + use another search engine, are you? How many search engines give you Google results but aren’t called Google, but go to Google anyway + get results? Is it concerning that google is responsible for 70+% of the searches?
No, I don’t want a data center in Calvert County. Let Charles or P.G. County get them and see the destruction of their water and the electrical overload to their systems. Not to mention that there are not 500 permanent jobs, it only takes a few once the data center is operational. I also do not want an apartment complex in an already congested area. Prince Frederick already looks like 301 in Waldorf. The focus should be on improving the TJ Bridge before more traffic is sought for this county.
I was at this meeting. I didnt hear any push back. It was a chance for citizens to ask questions in front of a panel of experts. It was hard for them to answer somenof the questions due to not having active permits.
People are getting very tired of the overdevelopment of our once rural areas. Stop bringing this big city bull crap into our beautiful counties. We don’t want this stuff. Stop bulldozing our wonderfully wooded areas for more shopping and gas stations. Enough already