# Prince George's County Passes 2-Year Data Center

> Source: [https://icharles.com/articles/prince-georges-county-data-center-moratorium](https://icharles.com/articles/prince-georges-county-data-center-moratorium) (canonical)
> Author: iCharles News — iCharles, https://icharles.com
> Published: 2026-07-12

## TL;DR

The Prince George's County Council voted Tuesday to impose a two-year moratorium on new hyperscale data center development. Seven council members voted in favor, one voted no, and three were absent. The resolution bars the county's planning department from considering or approving data center applications until the council passes permanent legislation. Council Chair Krystal Oriadha and Councilmember Tom Dernoga co-sponsored the measure. Prince George's joins Montgomery and Frederick counties in restricting data center growth in Maryland.

## What did Prince George's County just vote to do?

The Prince George's County Council voted Tuesday to impose a two-year moratorium on new hyperscale data center development. The resolution prohibits the county's planning department from considering or approving data center applications — either until two years pass or until the council enacts permanent legislation, whichever comes first.

Seven council members voted in favor. One member, Tim Adams, voted no, primarily over the two-year length. Three members were not present for the vote, according to [The Banner's reporting on the moratorium](https://www.thebanner.com/politics-power/local-government/prince-georges-county-council-data-center-moratorium-CKGTDP5ZNFBFRNF3NGTTA5UARI/).

## Who sponsored the moratorium?

Council Chair Krystal Oriadha and Councilmember Tom Dernoga co-sponsored the resolution. Oriadha said she personally supports a full ban on data centers. She framed the moratorium as a compromise that keeps the zoning process paused while council members continue discussions.

"It's important we continue to have those conversations," Oriadha said at Tuesday's meeting. "I think this moratorium is a compromise that allows that to happen."

Oriadha also noted that if the council passes comprehensive legislation, the moratorium lifts automatically. "The onus is on us," she said.

## What arguments did council members make?

The debate before the vote ran roughly 30 minutes among council members, following nearly an hour of public testimony, [according to Maryland Matters](https://marylandmatters.org/2026/07/08/prince-georges-county-extends-pause-on-hyperscale-data-center-development/).

Councilmember Wala Blegay cited unresolved questions from her time on a qualified data center task force. "How does it impact our water? We don't know. We don't have all of the answers," she said.

Councilmember Sydney Harrison acknowledged the revenue case for data centers. He pointed out that neighboring jurisdictions with over 200 data centers draw more than 42% of their local tax base from those facilities. Still, Harrison said the long-term health, environmental, and utility impacts have not been fully studied. He argued that any approval of new data centers must account for energy consumption and called for a community benefit task force.

"I believe the county sets the rules, not the data center companies," Harrison said.

## Who opposed the moratorium or pushed back?

Not everyone at Tuesday's meeting supported the two-year pause. A coalition of more than two dozen data center supporters attended, wearing neon green shirts and hats. They testified about jobs and economic impact, then left the hearing before it ended.

Alexander Austin, president and CEO of the Prince George's County Chamber of Commerce, asked the council to shorten the moratorium's duration. "You have spent an enormous amount of time studying the issue," he said. "A two-year moratorium is too long."

Council member Tim Adams voted no on the final resolution, also citing the two-year length as his primary objection.

## How does this fit the broader Maryland picture?

Here's what we know so far: Prince George's County is the latest Maryland jurisdiction to restrict data center development. Montgomery and Frederick counties had already passed similar measures before Tuesday's vote.

The moratorium is an extension of previous council actions. The county had already moved to pause data center development in an earlier step, making Tuesday's vote a continuation of that effort rather than a first move.

Oriadha pointed specifically to a data center project proposed for the old Landover Mall site as an example of a project she considers harmful and that the county is trying to stop.

Councilmember Shayla Adams-Stafford is working on a permanent bill to address data centers. Oriadha said those bills will be heard later this year.

## Key facts at a glance

| Detail | Fact |
|---|---|
| Vote result | 7 in favor, 1 against, 3 absent |
| Moratorium length | Up to two years |
| Co-sponsors | Krystal Oriadha, Tom Dernoga |
| No vote | Tim Adams (objected to two-year length) |
| Trigger to lift early | Passage of comprehensive data center legislation |
| Other Maryland counties with restrictions | Montgomery, Frederick |
| Specific project cited as harmful | Proposed data center at old Landover Mall site |

The debate over [data center energy consumption](/articles/nvidia-kyber-nvl144-delay-2028) is playing out at the local government level, not just in the tech industry. The same infrastructure questions around power and [chip supply chains](/articles/apple-broadcom-chip-deal-2031) that shape decisions at companies like Nvidia and Apple are now landing on county council agendas. And as [AI hardware demand](/articles/rapidus-2nm-chip-funding-japan) continues to push data center construction outward from traditional hubs, communities like Prince George's County are writing the rules before projects break ground.

Councilmember Adams-Stafford's permanent legislation is expected to be heard by the council later this year. If that bill passes, it would lift the moratorium ahead of the two-year deadline.

## Frequently asked questions

****What did the Prince George's County Council vote on Tuesday?****

The council voted 7-1 to approve a two-year moratorium on new hyperscale data center development. The resolution bars the county's planning department from considering or approving data center applications until the council passes permanent legislation or the two-year period expires, whichever comes first. Three council members were not present for the vote.

****How long does the Prince George's County data center moratorium last?****

The moratorium lasts up to two years. However, it can be lifted earlier if the council passes comprehensive legislation to regulate data centers. Council Chair Krystal Oriadha said bills addressing data centers permanently are expected to be heard later this year, which could end the moratorium before the two-year mark.

****Why did the Prince George's County Council pause data center development?****

Council members cited unanswered questions about water use, environmental damage, health impacts, and utility strain. Councilmember Wala Blegay said a task force she served on left too many questions unresolved. Councilmember Sydney Harrison said the long-term impacts over the next two decades have not been fully studied or understood.

****Who voted against the Prince George's County data center moratorium?****

Councilmember Tim Adams voted no, primarily because he objected to the two-year length of the moratorium. The Prince George's County Chamber of Commerce president Alexander Austin also asked the council to shorten the duration, saying the council had already spent significant time studying the issue.

****Is Prince George's County the only Maryland jurisdiction to restrict data centers?****

No. Prince George's County is the latest in a series of Maryland jurisdictions to pass restrictions. Montgomery County and Frederick County had already enacted similar measures before Tuesday's vote. The moratorium in Prince George's County is also an extension of earlier council actions that had already moved to pause data center development.