URGENT PETITION: Protect Adamstown from Data Center Pollution & Demand Community Restitution
 

To: The Frederick County Council & The Maryland Department of the Environment

We, the residents of Adamstown and surrounding communities, demand immediate action to address the environmental and community destruction caused by the data center construction on the former Eastalco/Alcoa property.

Our homes, our health, and our community are at risk.

Background: The Fundamental Flaws of Existing Legislation
 

The existing legislation, including the Knapp/Young law, is fundamentally flawed and fails to protect our community. The current law must be revisited and improved because its provisions are weak, appear to be pro-industry, and concentrate all negative impacts on Adamstown. This is not a solution; it's a "Pandora's Box" that will lead to continuous environmental degradation and a diminished quality of life.

Concentrated Development & The "Data Center Hub": The law's creation of an "overlay zone" on the Eastalco/Alcoa site concentrates all the negative impacts—noise, water use, traffic, and pollution—on our single, already-burdened community. We did not consent to becoming the county's designated "data center hub."

Inadequate Setbacks: The law's 500-foot setback from residential areas is "lousy public policy" and far too close. This buffer is insufficient to mitigate the constant noise, light, and air pollution from a massive 24/7 industrial operation. Residents fear shaking windows and a constant, disruptive hum.
"Weak" and Pro-Industry Regulations:

The law ignores key recommendations from the Data Centers Workgroup and appears to be crafted with significant input from developers. This is evident in provisions that favor the industry, allowing data centers to be built closer to homes and failing to provide strict, ongoing enforcement.

Farmland Preservation Failure: The law's provision to preserve just five acres for every one acre developed is less than half of what the Planning Commission recommended. This is an insufficient measure that does not truly protect our agricultural land from irreversible industrial sprawl.
Insufficient Environmental Oversight: The law's regulations on noise, light, and air pollution are not strong enough. They lack strict, enforceable limits and fail to require continuous, independent monitoring, leaving our community vulnerable to a wide range of environmental hazards.

The "Pandora's Box" Effect: By creating a special zone, the county is not limiting development, but rather inviting continuous expansion. This ordinance sets a dangerous precedent that will make it easier for the industry to get a foothold and continually push for more land and less regulation in our community.
 
 

1. Toxic Water Contamination: A Public Health Emergency
 

The construction site is a documented source of continuous toxic runoff. We have evidence of mud and water, contaminated with cyanide, fluoride, and Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), flowing directly onto our roads and into our streams. This poses a severe public health risk to our drinking water in the Monocacy and Potomac Rivers and a direct threat to our private well water.

We demand:

An immediate stop-work order until effective containment measures are in place.
Comprehensive testing of all runoff and public disclosure of results.
A long-term remediation plan to clean up off-site contamination.
More frequent visits and testing by the MDE to the Eastalco Data Center Site due to the poisons and toxins on site, to ensure they remain in compliance and to prevent any further off-site pollution.
 
 

2. Dangerous Light Pollution
 

The data center's bright, upward-facing lights are not just an eyesore; they are a public safety hazard. The glare on Mountville Road makes it difficult and dangerous for drivers to see the road ahead.

We demand:

All lights be immediately redirected to face downward.
Enforcement of "dark sky" standards to protect our night sky.
 
 

3. Noise and Air Pollution
 

The constant humming from cooling systems and the testing of massive diesel generators will create perpetual noise and air pollution, threatening our peace, sleep, and respiratory health.

We demand:

Strict, enforceable noise ordinances specific to data centers.
Strict limits on generator runtime and a mandate for cleaner energy alternatives.
 
 

4. Financial & Community Restitution
 

We refuse to pay the price for this project's negative impacts. If these data centers cause our PROPERTY VALUES to fall, the county or the companies must be held financially liable for our losses. We also demand that our electric bills not be raised to support their massive energy consumption.

Since Adamstown has suffered the most from this project, we deserve direct investment to improve our community.

We demand:

A new Community Center with a community pool.
A "Welcome to Adamstown" sign.
Bleachers, benches, and pavilions for our local parks.
 
 

5. No Self-Policing by Data Centers
 

We demand that these data centers are NOT allowed to police themselves. The Frederick County Sheriff's Office must have full authority to investigate and enforce against any violations of noise ordinances or other illegal activities on data center property.

6. A Comprehensive, Multi-Layered Buffer Zone
 

The 500-foot setback in the Knapp/Young law is completely inadequate and fails to protect our community. Adamstown must have a comprehensive buffer zone that effectively mitigates noise, light, and air pollution.

We demand a buffer zone that includes:

A Substantial Setback Distance: A non-negotiable minimum setback of 1,000 to 2,500 feet (approximately 0.5 miles) from the nearest residential property, school, or park.

Natural and Engineered Barriers: The buffer must not be empty space. It must include a combination of deep, naturally forested areas, as well as engineered acoustic berms or walls, to effectively absorb and block sound waves.

Strict Noise and Light Standards: We demand specific decibel limits at our property lines that account for low-frequency hums (using C- or Z-weighted measurements) and a requirement for continuous, independent monitoring. All lighting must be full cut-off to prevent dangerous glare on our roads.
A Permanent "No-Build" Zone: This buffer area must be a legally protected, permanent no-build zone with a strict prohibition on any auxiliary structures that would produce noise or light closer to our homes.
 
 

7. No Data Centers on Agricultural Land
 

The recent zoning changes that allow data centers on farmland are a direct threat to Frederick County's rural heritage and agricultural economy. The loss of prime farmland to industrial development is irreversible and goes against the long-held values of our community.

We demand that the county enact a policy that prohibits the rezoning or development of any currently active agricultural land for data center use. The five-acre preservation ratio for every one acre developed is not sufficient and should not be a legal loophole for destroying our farmland. We also demand that the CDI overlay map, currently in a proposal stage, be limited to the current Eastalco industrial area and NOT expanded into the surrounding farmland.

In conclusion, we demand that all of the above be regulated, monitored, and checked on regularly by the Frederick County Council, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). We do not trust the data center companies OR Catellus to perform proper due diligence due to the numerous violations that have already taken place.

The health of our community, the safety of our roads, and the value of our homes are at stake. We expect a prompt and decisive response.

Sign this petition to show your support and demand a better future for Adamstown and Frederick!