BMORENews recently received a research packet that raises concerns about the environmental and economic impacts of data centers in Maryland. The claims are under review, and responses are being sought from policymakers, utility officials, developers, and community stakeholders. The purpose of this series is not to advocate for or against data centers. It is to determine what they mean for Baltimore residents and whether the public is receiving complete information about their benefits, costs, and long-term impacts.
(BALTIMORE – May 31, 2026) – BMORENews recently received a detailed research packet examining the rapid expansion of data centers in Maryland and raising pointed questions about what that expansion means for local communities — particularly around water consumption, electrical grid capacity, utility costs, and the transparency of government approvals.
The document cites reports from environmental organizations, media outlets, legislative records, and public agencies. BMORENews is reviewing the claims and has begun reaching out to policymakers, utility officials, data center developers, and community stakeholders for a response.
BMORENews is not certifying every conclusion in the dossier. What is being done is taking the questions seriously — because Baltimore residents deserve straight answers.
What the Dossier Says
The research packet covers three broad areas: the benefits and economic promise of data centers, the environmental and infrastructure concerns surrounding them, and the current state of legislation at the local, state, and federal levels.
On the benefits side, the document acknowledges that data centers bring jobs, construction activity, tax revenue, and economic development — particularly in areas that have historically been passed over for investment. The dossier cites reporting from the Brookings Institution and PwC on the economic potential of data center growth.
On the concerns side, the questions raised are significant:
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Water consumption: The dossier raises questions about how much water data centers consume for cooling purposes and whether, in some places, the same freshwater sources used by residents are also being used to cool data center systems.
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Power grid strain: As data centers multiply, Maryland’s electrical grid faces growing pressure. The dossier raises concerns about who bears the cost of upgrading infrastructure to meet that demand — the technology companies, or everyday ratepayers.
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BGE utility costs: The document questions whether tech companies are covering the elevated utility costs their facilities generate — and if not, whether those costs are being passed along to Baltimore residents already absorbing rising BGE bills.
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Transparency of approvals: The dossier raises concerns about zoning, eminent domain, and whether communities are being adequately informed and consulted before data center projects move forward.
Baltimore Is Already in This
According to the Data Center Map, a publicly accessible industry database, Baltimore is home to multiple data center facilities. BMORENews is independently verifying the number, ownership, and operational status of those facilities.
There are also reports that a new data center may be coming to the Woodlawn area of Baltimore County.
The dossier poses three specific questions for Baltimore that BMORENews intends to pursue:
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What freshwater source is being used to cool the data centers currently operating in Baltimore City — and is that the same source residents depend on?
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Are data center operators paying BGE to offset the increased electrical demand their facilities generate?
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Could the water pressure concerns and drought warnings recently flagged by the Department of Public Works be connected in any way to data center water usage?
BMORENews has submitted inquiries to BGE and DPW and will report on their responses.
The Legislative Picture
The Baltimore City Council recently passed a one-year moratorium on new data center construction — a move applauded by the NAACP. At the same time, Johns Hopkins announced plans associated with a new data center project while the moratorium debate was underway.
At the state level, Maryland HB0120 proposed a moratorium on new data center construction pending further review. Nationally, President Donald Trump signed an executive order in 2025 to accelerate federal permitting of data center infrastructure, revoking a more cautious Biden-era order. The dossier flags this as a sign that federal guardrails may be loosening even as community concerns grow.
A Baltimore Story. A Black Wall Street Story.
There is a layer to this conversation that goes beyond infrastructure and utility bills — and it matters deeply in a city like Baltimore.
Baltimore’s Black communities have historically borne a disproportionate share of the burden when large-scale infrastructure is built: highways carved through neighborhoods, industrial facilities sited near residential areas, and waste transfer stations placed where political resistance was expected to be weakest. The pattern is documented. It is not speculation.
If data centers are going to be part of Baltimore’s future — and the evidence suggests they already are — then residents have every right to ask not just who bears the costs, but who shares in the benefits. Are these facilities hiring from the communities they operate in? Are the contracts going to local businesses? Are community members at the table when siting and operational decisions are made?
Those are not anti-technology questions. They are accountability questions. They are transparency questions. And they are precisely the kinds of questions community journalism exists to ask.
What’s Coming Next
This is Part 1 of an ongoing BMORENews investigation. In the coming weeks, reporting will focus on:
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Responses from BGE, DPW, Baltimore City Council members, Johns Hopkins, and data center developers.
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A closer look at the water supply question and what environmental data actually shows.
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Community voices from neighborhoods near existing and proposed data center sites.
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What other cities have done — and what Baltimore can learn from them.
If you have information about data centers in your neighborhood, concerns about utility costs, water pressure, neighborhood impacts, or community engagement, contact BMORENews at doni@bmorenews.com. This investigation is ongoing and community experience matters.
Doni Glover is the founder and publisher of BMORENews.com, now in its 24th year of covering Black Baltimore, and the founder of the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards, now in its 15th year. He is also the host of the Emmy-nominated Doni Glover podcast and The Doni Glover Show on WMAR-TV 2.
Sources and Resources
Brookings Institution: Turning the Data Center Boom Into Long-Term Local Prosperity
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/turning-the-data-center-boom-into-long-term-local-prosperity/
PwC: A New Era of Load Growth: How Data Centers Are Becoming Part of Our Communities and Energy System
https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/energy-utilities-resources/library/data-centers.html
Maryland Reporter: As Data Centers Multiply, Maryland’s Power Grid Struggles to Keep Up
https://marylandreporter.com/2026/03/04/as-data-centers-multiply-marylands-power-grid-struggles-to-keep-up/
CityBiz: Battles Over Data Centers Intensify in Maryland
https://www.citybiz.co/article/835384/battles-over-data-centers-intensify-in-the-maryland-state-house-and-communities/
Politico: A Data Center Drained 30 Million Gallons of Water Until Residents Complained
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/08/georgia-data-centers-water-00909988
NAACP: One-Year Data Center Moratorium Passed by Baltimore City Council
https://naacp.org/articles/naacp-applauds-one-year-data-center-moratorium-passed-baltimore-city-council
The Baltimore Banner: Johns Hopkins Gets $9M for New Data Center as Baltimore Debates a Pause
Baltimore City Council Bill 26-0158
https://baltimore.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7958934&GUID=0F67C3A9-D166-4BFE-91D3-10070032F578
Maryland HB0120 — Moratorium on New Data Centers
https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0120?ys=2026RS
Maryland Office of People’s Counsel: Data Centers
https://opc.maryland.gov/Consumer-Learning/Data-Centers
Newsweek: Erin Brockovich Launches National Data Center Map
https://www.newsweek.com/erin-brockovich-asks-americans-for-help-as-she-launches-datacenter-map-11989813
World Resources Institute: How Data Centers Affect U.S. Communities
https://www.wri.org/insights/us-data-center-growth-impacts
EESI: Data Centers and Water Consumption
https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/data-centers-and-water-consumption
Data Center Map: Baltimore Facilities
https://www.datacentermap.com/usa/maryland/baltimore/
BMORENews Reporting Requests
BMORENews has submitted or is preparing inquiries to:
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Baltimore Gas & Electric (BGE)
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Baltimore Department of Public Works (DPW)
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Baltimore City Council
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Johns Hopkins University
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Maryland Office of People’s Counsel
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Data center developers identified in public records
Their responses will be included in future installments of this series.
