Salisbury MD 1-year data center moratorium (proposed, 2026)
Salisbury, MD — City Council Considers One-Year Moratorium on Data Center Applications Recommended by Planning Commission (September 2026)
Salisbury, MD · Salisbury, Md., proposed one-year data center moratorium (City Council, Sept. 2026)
- Status
- Proposed / pending
- Applies to
- Data center applicants in Salisbury (if adopted)
- Enforced by
- City of Salisbury
Salisbury, Maryland is considering a one-year pause on new data center applications so city leaders can study water and power demands, land use, zoning and environmental effects before any proposal arrives. The Salisbury Planning Commission recommended the moratorium in August 2026, and the City Council was expected to take it up on September 28, 2026. Mayor Randy Taylor supports a pause and said it may not need the full year. Wicomico County approved its own one-year moratorium in August.
Who is protected: Salisbury, MD residents
Legal detail
Salisbury, Maryland (Wicomico County). Bay to Bay News (Sept. 17, 2026): the city plans to place a one-year ban on data center proposals. WBOC (Sept. 21, 2026): City Council expected to consider a proposed one-year moratorium on data center applications at its Sept. 28 legislative meeting; purpose to study water and power demands, land use, zoning and environmental impacts before a proposal is submitted. Mayor Randy Taylor supports; Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce (Bill Chambers) conditionally supportive; Wicomico Environmental Trust (Carol Dunahoo) supports and seeks a task force. WBOC also reports a Planning Commission recommendation (Aug. 2026, per drafter; not re-opened in this pass) and that Wicomico County approved its own one-year moratorium in August. NOT ESTABLISHED: ordinance number, reading stage, whether Sept. 28 was first reading or adoption, outcome. Wicomico County moratorium not in dataset (find-entry 'wicomico' = 0) — candidate for a separate entry.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Salisbury, MD |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Citation | Salisbury, Md., proposed one-year data center moratorium (City Council, Sept. 2026) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Not applicable (proposed) |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy |
| News report | Salisbury considers one-year moratorium on data center proposals — WBOC |
Related data-center siting and energy rules elsewhere
- Superior WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Dane County WI Hyperscale Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- Madison WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Manitowoc County WI Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Dayton OH data center moratorium (180-day, Apr 2026) · In effect
See something wrong or out of date? Submit a correction. Every entry must carry a verifiable source.