Evan Glass

Montgomery County Council approved an 18-month moratorium on new data center development, extending a previous six-month executive order. The council also passed a zoning amendment defining data centers and acknowledged existing facilities, while Atmosphere, a data center company, expressed disappointment over the decision.

Montgomery County Council committees recommended an 18-month pause on data center development and defined large data centers as facilities with at least 25 megawatts of energy demand. The proposals will be considered by the full council, following an existing six-month moratorium by County Executive Marc Elrich and similar actions in other Maryland counties.

The Maryland primary election features competitive races for Montgomery County executive and Prince George’s County state’s attorney. Three Democratic candidates for Prince George’s state’s attorney emphasize public safety, juvenile crime, and domestic violence, while three Montgomery County Council members vie for county executive, focusing on budget shortfalls and property tax proposals.

County executive candidates for Montgomery County participated in a forum discussing issues like small business support, data centers, and public safety. Candidates from both Democratic and Republican parties outlined their plans, including reducing regulatory barriers, addressing mental health, and proposing environmental initiatives.

Montgomery County Councilmember Evan Glass criticizes the MCPS budget process for lacking transparency and consistency, proposing three reforms: replacing the state’s 14-category budget system with more detailed breakdowns, transitioning the Board of Education to a full-time body with support staff, and adding a county executive-appointed representative to the budget advisory committee. He argues these changes would improve oversight and clarity for a $3.7 billion school system budget.

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich signed four bills aimed at protecting the county's immigrant population by restricting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities. The legislation includes measures like prohibiting county-owned properties from being used for ICE staging, banning masks during law enforcement duties, and blocking permits for immigration detention facilities.