Maryland data center moratoriums

As of 31 Oct 2026, we count at least 15 local data center pauses in force in Maryland, 3 bans and 4 proposals, across its counties and cities. At state level, a bill or proposal is pending.

15 pauses in force · 3 bans · 4 proposed
0 pauses end within 60 days
Checked: 24 counties, 99 cities · 22 on tracker

Cite this page

Source: Grounded Compute, Maryland moratorium tracker, 31 Oct 2026. https://groundedcompute.com/us/maryland/moratoriums

Every row below has its source and the date we checked it. For reporters: contact and corrections

State level · Bill or proposal, not passed

All data centers

mgaleg.maryland.govGovernment confirmedChecked 31 Oct 2026

Not counted in the local figures above.

Expiring by 30 Dec 2026

None in the next 60 days

Moratorium map · counties

Ban: 1 county
Pause (active or extended): 10 counties
Pause proposed: 2 counties
End date passed, no update found: 0 counties
Ended, expired or none found: 7 counties
No government or news source found: 4 counties

City: ban
City: pause
City: pause proposed

24 counties checked · 31 Oct 2026
Cities on the tracker drawn as dots (9)
Schematic; outlines: US Census

Tracker · 22 bans, pauses and proposals

Rows grouped under their count; each count matches the figures at the top
10 government confirmed · 12 news reported
Ended pauses and no-pause checks: on the map only. We checked counties and cities; nothing found is not proof that none exists
Method

Jurisdiction	Status	Covers	End	Permanent rules	Source
Bans (3)
Chesapeake Beach (city, Calvert)	Ban	Some zoning districts	–	Rules adopted	chesapeakebeachmd.gov Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026
Federalsburg (city, Caroline)	Ban	All data centers	–	Rules adopted	wboc.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026
Harford County	Ban	All data centers	–	Rules adopted	harfordcountymd.gov Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026
Pauses in force (15)
Cambridge (city, Dorchester)	Pause	All data centers	24 Aug 2027	–	stardem.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026
Caroline County	Pause	Other	21 Jul 2027	–	wboc.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026
Easton (city, Talbot)	Pause	All data centers	–	Rules drafted	stardem.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026
Frederick County	Pause	All data centers	1 Jul 2027	–	frederickcountymd.gov Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026
Howard County	Pause	All data centers	2 Nov 2027	–	apps.howardcountymd.gov Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026
Montgomery County	Pause	Above a size threshold: Data centers with an aggregate monthly electricity demand of at least 25 MW	–	–	apps.montgomerycountymd.gov Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026
Pocomoke City (city, Worcester)	Pause	All data centers	21 Sep 2027	–	pocomokearrowhead.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026
Queen Anne's County	Pause	All data centers	26 May 2027	–	qac.org Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026
Ridgely (city, Caroline)	Pause	All data centers	–	–	stardem.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026
Salisbury (city, Wicomico)	Pause	All data centers	12 Oct 2027	Rules drafted	baltimoresun.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026
Talbot County	Pause	Other: Applies within the County’s jurisdiction; county records describe the affected area as unincorporated Talbot County.	–	–	talbotcountymd.gov Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026
Washington County	Pause	Other	–	–	washco-md.net Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026
Wicomico County	Pause	All data centers	4 Aug 2027	–	baytobaynews.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026
Worcester County	Pause	All data centers	21 Jul 2027	–	worcestermd.gov Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026
Baltimore County	Pause, extended	Other	31 Dec 2027	–	wmar2news.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026
Proposed (4)
Berlin (city, Worcester)	Pause proposed	All data centers	–	–	baysideoc.net News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026
Carroll County	Pause proposed	All data centers	–	–	content.govdelivery.com Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026
Frederick (city, Frederick)	Pause proposed	Other	–	Rules drafted	fredericknewspost.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026
Somerset County	Pause proposed	–	–	–	wmdt.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026

– = not found in the sources we checked