County executive signs six-month pause on data-center approvals, says Dickerson project included

County Executive Mark said he signed an executive order imposing a temporary six-month pause on data-center construction and development in Montgomery County while the County Council and county agencies craft rules to manage impacts such as electricity and water use, noise and community effects.

Mark described the order as a pause—not a ban—that applies to proposed projects, including the one under consideration at the decommissioned power-plant site in Dickerson. He said the pause is intended to avoid premature approvals, allow the council time to draft zoning legislation, and prevent exemptions that would let a single project advance before countywide rules are in place.

Mark said hyperscale data centers can use enormous amounts of electricity and water and could strain the grid, lead to bidding that pushes up utility prices and affect waterways. He said other jurisdictions (Frederick and Prince George’s counties) are wrestling with similar questions and that Montgomery County plans to examine models and negotiated agreements from other communities.

Mark thanked council members who supported the pause and said the council now has a full six months to focus on appropriate regulation. He contrasted his approach with a council proposal that would have exempted the Dickerson project, saying an exemption would have undermined efforts to regulate any large facility consistently.

The county executive said he will work with the County Council on zoning legislation and that the pause creates time to develop a regulatory framework that protects residents while giving the county a means to evaluate project-specific commitments.