BALTIMORE (WBFF) — Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen introduced legislation Monday to establish a one-year moratorium on data centers across the city.
The proposal defined data centers as facilities used for the remote storage, processing, and distribution of data with an electrical demand of 10 megawatts or greater.
Under the legislation, such facilities would be classified as a prohibited zoning use category citywide for one year following enactment.
City officials said the temporary ban is intended to provide time for further study and regulatory planning.
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The moratorium aligned with a study authorized by the Maryland General Assembly during its previous legislative session and would allow the state’s Public Service Commission to develop a process for registering “large load customers,” including data centers, as outlined in pending state legislation.
During the moratorium period, the City Council is expected to evaluate how Baltimore should regulate data centers in the future.
Lawmakers said the goal is to ensure that any future data center development will be guided by policies that protect residents and maintain the integrity of the city’s infrastructure.
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Cohen was joined by fellow council members and community advocates at a press conference Monday afternoon at City Hall, where the proposal was formally introduced.
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