Ban New Construction of Hyperscale AI data centers in Baltimore County
The Issue
What is an AI Hyperscale Data Center?
Hyperscale data centers are massive industrial facilities designed to house tens of thousands of computer servers that store, process, and transmit enormous amounts of digital information. These facilities support cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), streaming services, financial transactions, government operations, and many of the digital services we rely on every day.
The rapid growth of AI is one of the biggest reasons these facilities are expanding across the country. AI requires extraordinary computing power, which means larger buildings, significantly more electricity, extensive cooling systems, backup generators, battery energy storage systems, and major utility infrastructure.
These are not ordinary commercial buildings.
They can consume as much electricity as a small city, require substantial infrastructure investments, and have the potential to affect surrounding communities in ways that most traditional development does not.
Job Opportunities
Residents are being promised that the addition of an AI data center will bring jobs, but is that true? According to he Baltimore County Planning Board's report, it may not be true at all. Data Center's are estimated to bring 0.5 jobs per ACRE. Adding a warehouse facility would add 13 jobs, and a manufacturing facility would add 17 jobs to the community.
The size of a hyperscale AI data center is on average 8 acres. According to Baltimore County, a hyperscale AI datacenter would only bring a whopping 4 long term jobs to the community.
AI data centers do not bring long term jobs. The vast majority of the jobs are only available during the construction of a data center. Meaning, once the construction is completed, the majority of jobs are gone. The construction of a data center takes roughly 1 year.
Electricity Usage
Data centers use massive amounts of energy. Even the smallest facilities require 1 megawatt, comparable to the amount required for hundreds of homes. Currently, demand is surging and supply is limited. On the supply side, generating stations are retiring and coming offline, with new supply slowed due to project delays. Meanwhile, demand continues to rise.
According to the Baltimore County Planning Board, hyperscale facilities can exceed 2,500kWh per square foot annually, 2,502kWh to be exact. Just to put it on scale, a grocery store uses 56.4kWh per square foot annually, and a refrigerated warehouse uses 29.6kWh per sq. foot (annually).
Baltimore County Government has no formal role in energy regulation, leaving it up to the State and Federal governments. If we have learned anything in the past year, it is that our Federal Government does not have citizens best interests in mind, it serves itself, donors, and institutional survival first.
If we have learned anything in the past 4 years, it is that the cost of living in Maryland has fallen on the backs of tax paying residents. Can we trust that large electricity usage from a data center would not some how fall onto tax payers through rising BGE/utility fees?
Water Usage
Water usage has become a large concern over the residents of Baltimore County. According to the Baltimore County Planning Board, Maryland Port Authority uses 32,000 Gallons of water per DAY. A hyperscale data center will consume an estimation of 500,000 gallons of water per day. 80% of the water consumed will evaporate, removing it from the ecosystem completely.
AI Data Centers do not bring any benefits to the community. Residents are not okay with jeopardizing their wallets, or health, to have an AI data center built within their community.
We urge the Baltimore County Council to consider these dire consequences. Let's prioritize the well-being of our communities and the preservation of our natural and financial resources over the interests of outside corporations. Our homes, our rights, and our environment must come first.
Please join me in calling on the Baltimore County Council members to ban the new construction of Hyperscale AI data centers. Your signature can make a difference. Together, we can protect our county now and for the future. Sign this petition to voice our collective demand for a sustainable, safe, and privacy-respecting community.
If you’d like to get active locally, join us! The Our Land. Our home. Baltimore County Facebook group is growing in members daily. We encourage everyone behind the cause locally to join and learn how they can make a difference locally.
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/19N4Qmw5Eo/?mibextid=wwXIfr
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The Issue
What is an AI Hyperscale Data Center?
Hyperscale data centers are massive industrial facilities designed to house tens of thousands of computer servers that store, process, and transmit enormous amounts of digital information. These facilities support cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), streaming services, financial transactions, government operations, and many of the digital services we rely on every day.
The rapid growth of AI is one of the biggest reasons these facilities are expanding across the country. AI requires extraordinary computing power, which means larger buildings, significantly more electricity, extensive cooling systems, backup generators, battery energy storage systems, and major utility infrastructure.
These are not ordinary commercial buildings.
They can consume as much electricity as a small city, require substantial infrastructure investments, and have the potential to affect surrounding communities in ways that most traditional development does not.
Job Opportunities
Residents are being promised that the addition of an AI data center will bring jobs, but is that true? According to he Baltimore County Planning Board's report, it may not be true at all. Data Center's are estimated to bring 0.5 jobs per ACRE. Adding a warehouse facility would add 13 jobs, and a manufacturing facility would add 17 jobs to the community.
The size of a hyperscale AI data center is on average 8 acres. According to Baltimore County, a hyperscale AI datacenter would only bring a whopping 4 long term jobs to the community.
AI data centers do not bring long term jobs. The vast majority of the jobs are only available during the construction of a data center. Meaning, once the construction is completed, the majority of jobs are gone. The construction of a data center takes roughly 1 year.
Electricity Usage
Data centers use massive amounts of energy. Even the smallest facilities require 1 megawatt, comparable to the amount required for hundreds of homes. Currently, demand is surging and supply is limited. On the supply side, generating stations are retiring and coming offline, with new supply slowed due to project delays. Meanwhile, demand continues to rise.
According to the Baltimore County Planning Board, hyperscale facilities can exceed 2,500kWh per square foot annually, 2,502kWh to be exact. Just to put it on scale, a grocery store uses 56.4kWh per square foot annually, and a refrigerated warehouse uses 29.6kWh per sq. foot (annually).
Baltimore County Government has no formal role in energy regulation, leaving it up to the State and Federal governments. If we have learned anything in the past year, it is that our Federal Government does not have citizens best interests in mind, it serves itself, donors, and institutional survival first.
If we have learned anything in the past 4 years, it is that the cost of living in Maryland has fallen on the backs of tax paying residents. Can we trust that large electricity usage from a data center would not some how fall onto tax payers through rising BGE/utility fees?
Water Usage
Water usage has become a large concern over the residents of Baltimore County. According to the Baltimore County Planning Board, Maryland Port Authority uses 32,000 Gallons of water per DAY. A hyperscale data center will consume an estimation of 500,000 gallons of water per day. 80% of the water consumed will evaporate, removing it from the ecosystem completely.
AI Data Centers do not bring any benefits to the community. Residents are not okay with jeopardizing their wallets, or health, to have an AI data center built within their community.
We urge the Baltimore County Council to consider these dire consequences. Let's prioritize the well-being of our communities and the preservation of our natural and financial resources over the interests of outside corporations. Our homes, our rights, and our environment must come first.
Please join me in calling on the Baltimore County Council members to ban the new construction of Hyperscale AI data centers. Your signature can make a difference. Together, we can protect our county now and for the future. Sign this petition to voice our collective demand for a sustainable, safe, and privacy-respecting community.
If you’d like to get active locally, join us! The Our Land. Our home. Baltimore County Facebook group is growing in members daily. We encourage everyone behind the cause locally to join and learn how they can make a difference locally.
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/19N4Qmw5Eo/?mibextid=wwXIfr
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Petition created on June 28, 2026