Commissioners place temporary deferral on data-center approvals; EAC flagged water and power impacts
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Summary
Commissioners noted a recent deferral on new data-center approvals and asked the EAC to advise on environmental impacts, including water consumption and electrical demand tied to AI-driven growth; EAC members noted potential interest in alternative power sources such as small-scale nuclear units.
Commissioners told the Environmental Advisory Council they recently placed a deferral on approving new data centers in Carroll County and asked the EAC for environmental guidance on the impacts of such facilities.
An unidentified commissioner said the county had "put a deferral on data center creation in the county" in recent weeks and asked the EAC to identify potential environmental effects and planning considerations. Kurt Barrett, EAC chair, cautioned that data centers can impose significant stress on electrical systems and that they "eat a lot of water," and said that rapid growth in AI investment is driving increased demand for data-center capacity.
Craig Connell, an EAC vice chair, noted that discussions are underway nationally about smaller "micro" nuclear units as one option some data centers are exploring for power generation. EAC and county officials discussed the importance of evaluating water use, energy sourcing and long-term building obsolescence when considering data-center proposals.
Commissioners and EAC members said they want more technical detail and urged the EAC and county staff to research water-consumption profiles, electricity impacts and potential mitigation measures for prospective data centers. The EAC said it would incorporate these concerns into the 2026 work plan for follow-up and future recommendations to the commissioners.
No regulatory change or approval occurred during the session; the deferral remains in place pending further study and potential policy guidance.
