Council Hearing Set on Two-Year Data Center Permit Moratorium

Councilmember Will Jawando and Councilmember Kristin Mink (District 5) held a press conference on June 16, 2026, ahead of a public hearing on Expedited Bill 24-26, a bill that would establish a two-year moratorium on building permits for data centers in Montgomery County. The bill, introduced by Jawando and co-sponsored by Mink, is intended to allow time to develop enforceable safeguards covering water use, energy demand, noise, taxation, and labor standards before major projects proceed. The bill is notable as the only moratorium proposal that would cover a proposed data center complex in Dickerson, which has drawn significant community concern over its plans to draw up to 69,300 gallons of water per day from the Potomac River.