Talbot County, MD — 12-month data center moratorium (Res. 395)
Talbot County, Maryland — County Council UNANIMOUSLY Adopts Resolution No. 395 on September 8, 2026, Imposing a 12-Month Moratorium on the Processing, Review and Approval of Applications, Site Plans, Permits and Other Authorizations for the Location, Construction or Operation of Data Centers, While the County Writes Zoning Rules
Talbot County, MD · Talbot County, Md. Resolution No. 395 (adopted Sept. 8, 2026)
- Status
- In effect
- Expires
- September 8, 2027
- Applies to
- Applicants seeking to locate, construct or operate a data center in Talbot County; Talbot County departments responsible for accepting and processing applications, site plans and permits.
- Enforced by
- Talbot County Council / county permitting and planning departments
Talbot County, on Maryland's Eastern Shore, has paused data centers for a year. The County Council adopted Resolution No. 395 unanimously on September 8, 2026. What it stops is broad: the processing, review and approval of applications, site plans, permits and other authorizations for the location, construction or operation of data centers anywhere in the county. That reaches further than a permit freeze — it halts the paperwork at intake, so an application cannot ripen during the pause. The stated purpose is to give the county time to consider appropriate zoning and regulatory requirements for data centers and their impacts. Council Member Dave Stepp framed the concern as the two systems these facilities strain hardest in a county this size: water and power. It is explicitly temporary and explicitly not a ban — the year is for writing rules, after which projects can be considered under them.
Who is protected: Talbot County residents and the county's water and electrical systems, for the 12-month term, by preventing any data center application from being processed or approved before zoning standards exist.
Legal detail
Talbot County, Md. Resolution No. 395, adopted unanimously by the County Council September 8, 2026. Operative scope: a 12-month moratorium on 'the processing, review and approval of applications, site plans, permits and other authorizations for the location, construction or operation of data centers in Talbot County.' The moratorium reaches intake as well as decision, so applications cannot advance during the term. Stated purpose: to provide the County time to consider appropriate zoning and regulatory requirements addressing data centers and their potential impacts, with articulated concerns centering on strain to the county water system and the electrical supply. Characterized by the County as temporary rather than prohibitory.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Talbot County, MD |
|---|---|
| Level | County |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Enacted | September 8, 2026 |
| Citation | Talbot County, Md. Resolution No. 395 (adopted Sept. 8, 2026) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Not stated. A processing moratorium operates by withholding intake and approval rather than by penalty. |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy |
| Agency page | Talbot County Council Meeting Highlights, September 8, 2026 — Talbot County, Maryland |
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
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