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Commissioners begin process to study and potentially pause data‑center approvals after AWS briefing
Summary
An Amazon Web Services representative told Calvert County commissioners it is exploring investment but has filed no plans or permits; commissioners voted to start a formal process to consider a moratorium and hold public forums after extensive public comment and questions about water, power and NDAs.
A representative from Amazon Web Services, Becky Ford, told the Board of Calvert County Commissioners that AWS has been evaluating Calvert County as a location but "no plans or permits have been filed. We don't have, we don't have any agreements in place. I'm not here to make an announcement," underscoring that the company was in early due diligence rather than seeking approvals.
Commissioner Hart moved to "begin the process" of imposing a 24‑month moratorium on approvals, permits, rezoning, site plans, construction and related actions tied to data‑center development until a "comprehensive environmental impact statement evaluating land, air, and water impacts is completed and formally presented to the public." The board amended the motion in procedural discussion with the county attorney and voted to direct staff to begin drafting an ordinance and schedule the public‑hearing steps that would be needed to consider a moratorium.
The briefing and vote were followed by nearly two hours of public comment. Residents raised a range of site‑specific concerns — water withdrawals and thermal discharges to the bay, regional electricity‑rate impacts, potential noise from backup generators, little local job creation once facilities are operational, and frustration about an earlier nondisclosure agreement that kept some details from the public. One resident asked, "Why does a billion‑dollar company get to pass on its bills to us?" and many requested independent, county‑funded studies of environmental and utility impacts before any approvals move forward.
Ford said AWS would organize an informational session for residents and offered to bring subject matter experts to answer technical questions. County staff and the attorney explained the moratorium process requires drafting an ordinance, advertising and public hearings; they estimated the earliest public‑hearing window would be at least several weeks out and that a full timeline would be developed by staff.
Next steps: staff will prepare legal and procedural materials for a moratorium ordinance, county administrators will schedule public‑information sessions (AWS committed to participate), and commissioners said they will seek site‑specific analyses and public feedback before any final action.
