Maryland

Civic/Governance Barriers activates on moratorium-class action (C1), meaningful 2026 race (C3), litigation/regulatory barrier (C4) — governance instruments on the electoral, legislative, and regulatory surface (protocol §10; Overview Civic breakout). Weather/Climate activates on extreme-heat large-load curtailment affecting power infrastructure (W3): U.S. DOE Federal Power Act §202(c) emergency orders in 2026 (including Nos. 202-26-23, 202-26-33, 202-26-33a, and 202-26-35) authorized PJM to direct ≥50 MW large loads — the hyperscale data-center profile — onto onsite backup generation during heat-wave reliability emergencies as a last resort before or during EEA Level 3 (DOE Order 202-26-23; DOE Order 202-26-35). Energy/Power and Capital Flows are co-dominant: HB0120's co-location mandate, the HB560 sales-tax-incentive repeal effort, and the state-mandated Sept. 1 2026 impact report explicitly examine how data centers affect ratepayer costs and state/local revenue — while Harford's outright ban and multiple county moratoriums create stranded-capital/permitting risk for developers (mgaleg fiscal note; Preservation Maryland). Water/Geology stressed via county concerns over water use, noise and zoning (Maryland Daily Record Washington Co.).

Frederick County Council contests are the clearest 2026 candidate locus: the December ordinance expanding the data-center overlay and the subsequent referendum fight (21,029 certified signatures; court-blocked June 30, 2026) made the overlay vote the central land-use record for this cycle's councilmembers (Maryland Daily Record, WYPR). Statewide/congressional races remain less clearly data-center-defined; county-council and Annapolis legislative fights carry the electoral weight.

No statewide enacted moratorium, but an intense county wave plus a first-in-state BAN: Harford County banned data centers via unanimous council + Executive Cassilly signature Jun. 10 2026 (Harford County); Montgomery Co. Executive Elrich signed a 6-month permit moratorium Jun. 12 2026 (competing 2-yr Jawando bill 24-26 and 6-mo Glass bill pending) (WTOP; Montgomery Bill 24-26); Howard Co. 17-month moratorium Jun. 1 2026 (CCAN); Baltimore Co. 1-year (Bill 3-26, Jan. 5 2026) (Gunpowder Riverkeeper); Washington Co. 12-month (Jun. 30 2026) (Maryland Daily Record). Statewide HB0120 (co-location/generation contingency moratorium) died without a floor vote (ION Analytics; mgaleg HB0120).

State: HB0120 would have barred new data centers unless co-located with new/existing gas, nuclear, or SMR generation meeting the center's load — died in committee (mgaleg fiscal note). Related 2026 bills targeted a sales-tax incentive repeal (HB560) and co-location (HB799) (Preservation Maryland). Underlying the fight: the Data Center Impact Analysis (Ch. 3, 2025 Special Session; veto overridden Dec. 16 2025) requires a Sept. 1 2026 ratepayer/energy/economic impact report (mgaleg fiscal note).

No Nov. 2026 measure remains on the ballot. Frederick County Data Center Referendum Committee gathered 21,029 valid signatures (Board of Elections certified Apr. 3, 2026) to refer Ordinance 26-01-001 (Critical Digital Infrastructure Overlay Zone expansion to ~2,615 acres near Adamstown), but the Supreme Court of Maryland affirmed the Circuit Court on June 30, 2026 — holding the zoning ordinance not subject to charter referendum and the petition textually deficient — keeping the question off the November ballot (MD Supreme Court per curiam Order No. 67, Sept. Term 2025, WYPR, Maryland Daily Record).

Dickerson/Montgomery Co. (Atmosphere/decommissioned power-plant site) — paused under Elrich's 6-month order (WTOP); Harford Co. golf-course proposal that catalyzed the county ban (IDCNova, Apr. 2026); Calvert Co. faced strong opposition though a 2-yr moratorium there was narrowly defeated 3-2 (Maryland Daily Record, May 5 2026).

Not a dominant stressor in Maryland's 2026 debate; concerns center on energy, water, noise and revenue rather than AI-labor displacement or construction organizing. Included here only as a minor/absent lens.

Growing; activity spread across Montgomery, Howard, Baltimore, Harford, Frederick, Calvert and Washington counties, with Montgomery (the state's most populous county) a central battleground (WTOP).

"Harford became the first county in Maryland to ban data centers ... data centers are not a permitted use under Harford County's zoning code." — Harford County announcement of Executive Cassilly's signed ban (Harford County, Jun. 10 2026).

Harford County ban; WTOP Montgomery; CCAN Howard; Gunpowder Riverkeeper Baltimore Co.; Maryland Daily Record Washington Co.; mgaleg HB0120; ION Analytics; DOE Order 202-26-23; DOE Order 202-26-35