The Prince George's County Council tabled legislation that would streamline the approval process for new data centers in the county after receiving strong opposition from residents and conservation advocates on Tuesday.
Supporters of the bill said they want to attract data centers because of the tax dollars they would bring during times when the county experiences a tight budget.
"Data centers that we've seen in the regional capacity have provided a tremendous amount of corporate tax revenue that has impacted the community in a positive way," said Alexander Austin, president and CEO of the Prince George's Chamber of Commerce.
But opponents say data center developers should not be able to quickly push through massive developments.
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The law would have exempted developers from part of the approval process, but some opponents say it would have also limited community input.
"For something of this scale - data centers - we should not be skipping steps in the analysis process and [the bill] is trying to do that," said Dave Owens, President of Fort Washington Forward.
The bill was part of the county executive's effort to remove obstacles for data center developers and get new revenue flowing into the county.
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"Four data centers in Maryland could create about 500 short-term jobs, 30 to 50 long-term jobs, up to $5 million dollars per year in tax benefits," said Angie Rodgers, deputy chief administrative officer for economic development for the Office of the County Executive.
Several residents and organizations expressed environmental concerns. Many cited the proliferation of big data centers in Northern Virginia, saying they don't want that kind of development in Prince George's County.
"Data centers are an integral part to our daily life. But as we've learned from Northern Virginia, allowing them by right development without community input leads to drastic energy, water and land impacts," said Angie McCarthy, a conservation advocate for Nature Forward.
Many expressed support for the county to develop a comprehensive plan to deal with data centers, including where they would go, before moving forward with such legislation.
Tuesday was the last day of the Council's legislative session. It's unclear if the bill will be revived at a later time.
