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Calvert County environmental commission urges pause on data center permitting, cites wetlands, noise and security risks
Summary
The Calvert County Environmental Commission asked planning commissioners to recommend a pause on data‑center permitting, saying proposed sites overlap wetlands and sensitive headwaters and calling for independent environmental study and stronger text amendments.
The Calvert County Environmental Commission told the Planning Commission on April 7 that the scale and location of proposed data centers warrant a pause in permitting while the county commissions and agencies coordinate an independent environmental review. ‘‘This is a huge deal,’’ Environmental Commission chair Abby Barr said, arguing the projects could affect residents countywide and that the commission’s April 2 letter lays out core concerns and sources.
Dr. Jeanette Wysocki, an environmental commissioner who reviewed prior studies at Calvert Cliffs, said the site proposed for one facility ‘‘is exactly on top of the the land that was previously studied and previously had environmental impacts identified,’’ and pointed to wetlands, headwaters for St. Leonard Creek and a narrow peninsula ecosystem she said could not be judged by comparisons with data centers in other counties. The commission asked the planning commission to weigh a formal pause so agencies can plan and the public can review an independent study, not just the routine agency checklists used in ordinary site reviews.
The commission outlined possible next steps including a scoped independent environmental impact study, tighter draft text amendments (for example generator emission standards and decommissioning surety), and clearer routes for the Environmental Commission to be included in agency comment lists. Planning commissioners said they would welcome a written proposal from the Environmental Commission describing the study’s scope, likely timeline and estimated cost so the Board of County Commissioners can evaluate whether to pause permitting.
Why it matters: Commissioners and residents said the projects would be among the largest Calvert County has seen since the nuclear power plant and could create lasting changes to wetlands, noise levels and local water resources. The environmental commissioners stressed the county could write stronger requirements in its zoning ordinance, but said a pause would allow a comprehensive, county‑specific review before any permits proceed.
