Calvert County environmental commission approves revised letter urging pause on proposed AWS data centers

The Calvert County Environmental Commission on May 27 voted to approve a revised draft letter to the Board of County Commissioners asking the BOCC to pause approvals for proposed large data‑center campuses while a set of prioritized studies and mitigation options are completed.

The commission said the purpose of the pause is to allow time for long‑term studies and an alternatives analysis, and it prioritized immediate review of noise, water resources, threatened and endangered species, and the cumulative environmental effects of multiple sites. ‘‘We’re asking them to do some things — pause, conduct studies, and then come back with recommendations or mitigation,’’ a commissioner said during the discussion.

Why it matters: commissioners pointed to several locally sensitive risks if a hyperscale data center were built in the county’s unique peninsula environment near the Chesapeake Bay. Members cited concerns about heat‑island effects from continuous operations, large‑scale tree clearing in interior forest habitat, potential impacts on federally protected species and migratory birds, and strain on water and emergency infrastructure.

Janette, a commission member, highlighted an outstanding technical data request: “the Puritan tiger beetle’s habitat is known on the constellation property in sandy cliffs,” and she said she has submitted a Public Information Act request for the state study and expects the material by June 2. That study will inform whether earlier environmental assessments considered key stressors tied to data‑center operations, she said.

Planning staff and process: Jason, identified in the meeting as Director of Planning and Zoning, told the commission that the county’s text‑amendment process for file 26‑23 has progressed through multiple work sessions and that draft language is available in prior agenda packets online. He described a schedule that would see additional drafting and further BOCC discussion through June and July and public hearings anticipated by September.

On mitigation and wording: commissioners debated the merits of using the term ‘‘moratorium’’ versus ‘‘pause’’ and agreed to recommend a pause without a strict timetable, while also providing a prioritized list of studies the BOCC should require. They also agreed to include language about mitigation funds and to flag questions about whether fees in lieu of reforestation would be acceptable.

Vote and next steps: after editing and removing an unattributed embedded video and other unverified quotes from the draft, the commission moved, seconded and approved the revised proposal with amendments by voice vote; the chair declared the motion carried with no abstentions. The commission plans to present the approved letter to the BOCC at its June 2 meeting and reconvene on June 29 to continue its work.

Public reaction: during the meeting’s public‑comment period, many residents urged a stronger stance than a pause, with several speakers asking the commission to recommend rejecting the projects outright. One public commenter, who identified herself as a member of a local board, said: “I no longer believe a temporary pause is enough, and I strongly urge you to reconsider your draft.” Other commenters pressed for independent environmental and economic impact analyses, stricter limits on generator operation and clearer protections for water resources.

What remains unresolved: the commission noted several information gaps the BOCC or applicants must fill, including detailed plans for water sourcing and disposal from cooling systems, precise acreages to be cleared, species‑specific surveys, emergency‑egress plans for the Route 2/4 corridor, and acoustical studies to refine a recommended school buffer. The commission specifically plans to track the state response to the PIA on the Puritan tiger beetle and to update recommendations if new data arrive.

The commission’s approved letter and supporting materials will be presented to the Board of County Commissioners on June 2; commissioners who attend will be prepared to answer questions and to defend the recommendations and edits the group adopted May 27.