Several testified against these facilities.
Frederick, Md (KM) A large crowd spoke Tuesday before the Frederick County Council on an overlay bill covering data centers. The legislation was formally introduced during that meeting.
Theresa Fernari is with the Sierra Club Catoctin Group who told the Council one day, data centers will no longer be necessary, and the County will be stuck with a large supply of empty buildings. “Data centers are being built ail over the world, and supply will eventually exceed demand,” she said. “This will reduce the value of data centers , and data buyers will shop around for the least expensive stores. Frederick County will not be the cheapest store for data in the world. The data centers will negotiate with you for tax breaks until you can’t give any more, and then they will leave.”
Also speaking was Kenneth Stevens who lives in Adamstown. “I’m been around data centers when the generators kick on twice week for testing. We’re talking very loud, noisy generators. Your existing site is not even three-quarters allocated and we basically triple the allocation. I didn’t move to the area to be next to that,” he said.
The bill before the Council would create an overlay which would limit where these facilities could be located, and limit the size of the overlay to no more than one percent of the total land mass in Frederick County which is about 4,200 acres. The purpose of the overlay would be concentrate data centers around the East Alcoa site in Adamstown where these facilities are being constructed, and it has the infrastructure to support them. The goal is that for every one acre of land rezoned for data centers, five acres of agricultural land would be preserved.
Jeannie Cameron from Adamstown testified to the Council that data centers would ruin the rural character of her community. “We have farmland around us on three sides. We love it,” she said. “Not only would it be hideous to develop that land, to grab it up. But it would devalue our home price. And where would we go? How would sell our house and get anything out of it? But the most important thing is that this beautiful land in Adamstown would be swallowed up. Don’t do it!”
Ann Garnett also lives in Adamstown, and she said the county did not take in account the rural character of that area. “And to keep the farmland that we have. No farms, no food. And that’s what you getting,” she said. “I have a lot of other things to say. The problem is they’ve already said it. Where’s the electricity coming from, “she asked angrily, pounding her fist on the podium. “Where’s the water coming from. You’d better know that now.
Council President Brad Young said a formal hearing on this legislation is scheduled for Tuesday, July 15th beginning at 7:00 PM.
By Kevin McManus