Sugarloaf Alliance

Will the MD Legislature Loosen or Tighten Regulation?

 

Data center concerns are now at the state level for legislative action. We are aware of two bills that are being worked on. 

 

1. Governor Moore has submitted language for a bill called the "Critical Infrastructure Streamlining Act of 2024.” Massive diesel-powered generator complexes of hundreds or even thousands of units (which has become the industry standard for data center operation) would be fully exempt from the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessty (CPCN) process under this legislation. You’ll remember that last fall, the MD Public Service Commission cited environmental impacts when they denied Allied Data Centers the CPCN exemption for 168 diesel generators at their Quantum Loophole site. Read the Frederick News Post coverage here. Attached is the most recent version of the governor's bill that we have. Sugarloaf Alliance opposes the governor’s bill.

 

2. State Senator Karen Lewis Young has been developing a bill currently titled “Public Utilities – High Energy Use Facilities – Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions.” This bill would require high energy use facilities to make public disclosures of their power sources and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Facilities also will be required to transition their power sources to all renewable generation over a 15-year period.  Attached is the most recent version of Sen. Lewis Young's proposed legislation that we have. Sugarloaf Alliance supports this effort.

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