# Anne Arundel County chooses 15-month data center pause

> Anne Arundel County delays data center bans for 15 months to study impacts
- Title: Anne Arundel County chooses 15-month data center pause
- Summary: Anne Arundel County delays data center bans for 15 months to study impacts Anne Arundel County voted to pause new data centers for 15 months instead of…
- Keywords: anne arundel county, data center moratorium, sandy farms data center, severn, military installation, cybersecurity industry, county council, data center expansion, news, local, Anne, Arundel
- Source: The Banner — https://thebanner.com/politics-power/local-government/data-center-moratorium-ban-energy-water-defense-P2VUK3R45VH6XP5XY4AYFXXM3M
- Author: Matti Gellman
- Published: 2026-09-22T14:57:37.652+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: anne arundel county, data center moratorium, sandy farms data center, severn, military installation, cybersecurity industry, county council, data center expansion, news, local
## New moratorium approved
Anne Arundel County Council voted to pause new data centers for 15 months, exempting existing facilities like Sandy Farms Data Center in Severn.

> What concerns me isn’t only the data centers themselves, but everything that comes with them.
## Why not a ban?
Advocates for Fort George G Meade, Maryland’s largest employer, argued a ban would hurt defense contractors and cybersecurity jobs.
## 15-month pause
The pause lets the county study data center impacts while allowing existing facilities to expand.
## Local concerns
Residents cited high energy and water use, plus noise and tax breaks from data centers as key worries.

> She listed additional power demands, transmission substations, noise and the tax breaks available to the developers as potential issues.
## Microsoft's stance
Microsoft says its Annapolis Junction data center has generated millions in tax revenue and wants to avoid delays.

> Microsoft would support establishing a task force to develop responsible regulation.
## Council member push
Council members want tradespeople included in the study group to address construction jobs from data centers.

> He asked council members to make the ban as short as possible and potentially allow certain development projects to move forward despite the moratorium.
## Key takeaway

Anne Arundel County voted to pause new data centers for 15 months instead of banning them outright