SB 116

Data Center Impact Analysis and Report

Sponsor: Karen Lewis Young (District 3)Committee: Education, Energy, and the EnvironmentSubject: Energy and ClimateStatus: Vetoed by the Governor (Policy) (as of Dec 1, 2025)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring the Department of the Environment, the Maryland Energy Administration, and the University of Maryland School of Business, in coordination with the Department of Legislative Services, to conduct an analysis of the likely environmental, energy, and economic impacts of data center development in the State; and requiring the Department of Legislative Services to coordinate preparation of the final report to be submitted to the Governor and the General Assembly by September 1, 2026.

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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (0)

MGA witness list

FAV 109FavorableFWA 11Favorable with amendmentsUNF 2Unfavorable

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Arikat, Loraine	1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East	Position only
FAV	Coronado Flores, Jose	CASA	Position only
FAV	Stegman, Matt	Chesapeake Bay Foundation	Written (PDF)
FAV	Demiray, Sonia	Climate Communications Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	McGilvray, Laurie	Climate Justice Wing of the Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	McGilvray, Laurie	Climate Justice Wing of the Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Stewart, Frances	Elders Climate Action Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Stewart, Frances	Elders Climate Action Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Turner, Mike	Elected Ashburn Supervisor, Loudoun County, VA Board of Supervisors	Oral
FAV	Wilkinson, nanci	Environental Justice Ministry Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church	Position only
FAV	Troxell, Timothylobbyist	FirstEnergy / Potomac Edison	Written (PDF)
FAV	Troxell, Timothylobbyist	FirstEnergy / Potomac Edison	Written (PDF)
FAV	Fitzwater, Jessica	Frederick County Executive	Written (PDF)
FAV	Fitzwater, Jessica	Frederick County Executive	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bartolomeo, Kathleen	GCAN, MCRT	Position only
FAV	Gaver, Lisa	Gaver Farm, LLC	Position only
FAV	Feighner, Liz	HoCo Climate Action	Written (PDF)
FAV	Feighner, Liz	HoCo Climate Action	Written (PDF)
FAV	Webster, Phil	Legislative body for the Unitarian Universalist faith, C/O Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis	Position only
FAV	Feighner, Liz	Liz Feighner, self	Position only
FAV	Zelaya, Michellelobbyist	Maryland Catholic Conference	Written (PDF)
FAV	Zelaya, Michellelobbyist	Maryland Catholic Conference	Written (PDF)
FAV	Baker, Jeremy D	Maryland Department of the Environment	Written (PDF)
FAV	Baker, Jeremy D	Maryland Department of the Environment	Written (PDF)
FAV	Fahrig, Landon	Maryland Energy Administration	Written (PDF)
FAV	Harbeson, Kristenlobbyist	Maryland League of Conservation Voters	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Plante, Cecilia	Maryland Legislative Coalition	Written (PDF)
FAV	Schwarz, Kurt	Maryland Ornithological Society	Written (PDF)
FAV	Scarr, Emilylobbyist	Maryland PIRG	Position only
FAV	Hoover, Frederick	Maryland PublicService Commission	Written (PDF)
FAV	Mizrahi, Jennifer	Mizrahi Family Charitable Fund	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kinsey, Kathy	Mobilize Frederick	Written (PDF)
FAV	Fitzgerald, Garrett	Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection	Written (PDF)
FAV	Taylor, Caroline	Montogmery Countryside Alliance	Written (PDF)
FAV	Hart, Kyle	National Parks Conservation Association	Written (PDF)
FAV	McCarthy, Angie	Nature Forward	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	McCarthy, Angie	Nature Forward	Written (PDF)
FAV	Earlbeck, James	None	Position only
FAV	Lapp, David	Office of People's Counsel	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Lewis Young, Senator Karen	Senator Karen Lewis Young	Written (PDF)
FAV	Lewis Young, Senator Karen	Senator Karen Lewis Young	Written (PDF)
FAV	Progress, Shore	Shore Progress	Written (PDF)
FAV	Otterbein, Angelo	Sparks-Glencoe Community Planning Council	Position only
FAV	Frederick, Joanne	Stop MPRP, Inc	Written (PDF)
FAV	Black, Stephen	Sugarloaf Alliance	Written (PDF)
FAV	Black, Stephen	Sugarloaf Alliance	Written (PDF)
FAV	Reeves, Joy	The Rachel Carson Council	Position only
FAV	McNair, Lee	Unitarian Universalist Environmental Justice Ministry	Position only
FAV	Hamidi, Renee	Valleys Planning Council	Written (PDF)
FAV	Broder, Robin	Waterkeepers Chesapeake	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kaplowitz, Richard KAP	Year	Written (PDF)
FAV	Adams, Laura	Individual	Position only
FAV	Alexander, Peter	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Alexander, Peter	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Amy Thomson, Amy Thomson	Individual	Position only
FAV	Arndt, Dave	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Arnold, Roger	Individual	Position only
FAV	Biddinger, Christine	Individual	Position only
FAV	Bollinnger, David	Individual	Position only

Showing 60 of 122

Organizations on record

1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers EastFAV 1

CASAFAV 1

Chesapeake Bay FoundationFAV 1FWA 1

Climate Communications CoalitionFAV 1

Climate Justice Wing of the Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 2

Elders Climate Action MarylandFAV 2

Elected Ashburn Supervisor, Loudoun County, VA Board of SupervisorsFAV 1

Environental Justice Ministry Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist ChurchFAV 1

FirstEnergy / Potomac EdisonFAV 2

Frederick County ExecutiveFAV 2

Gaver Farm, LLCFAV 1

GCAN, MCRTFAV 1

HoCo Climate ActionFAV 2

Legislative body for the Unitarian Universalist faith, C/O Unitarian Universalist Church of AnnapolisFAV 1

Liz Feighner, selfFAV 1

Manno & Associates LLCUNF 1

Maryland Association of Counties (MACo)FWA 2

Maryland Catholic ConferenceFAV 2

Maryland Department of the EnvironmentFAV 2

Maryland Energy AdministrationFAV 1FWA 1

Maryland League of Conservation VotersFAV 1

Maryland Legislative CoalitionFAV 2

Maryland Ornithological SocietyFAV 1

Maryland PIRGFAV 1

Maryland PublicService CommissionFAV 1

Mid-Atlantic Pipe Trades AssociationUNF 1

Mizrahi Family Charitable FundFAV 1

Mobilize FrederickFAV 1

Montgomery County Department of Environmental ProtectionFAV 1FWA 1

Montogmery Countryside AllianceFAV 1

National Parks Conservation AssociationFAV 1

Nature ForwardFAV 2

NoneFAV 1

Office of People's CounselFAV 1

Senator Karen Lewis YoungFAV 2

Shore ProgressFAV 1

Sierra Club Maryland ChapterFWA 2

Sparks-Glencoe Community Planning CouncilFAV 1

Stop MPRP, IncFAV 1

Sugarloaf AllianceFAV 2

The Rachel Carson CouncilFAV 1

Unitarian Universalist Environmental Justice MinistryFAV 1

Valleys Planning CouncilFAV 1

Waterkeepers ChesapeakeFAV 1

YearFAV 1FWA 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVTroxell, TimothyFirstEnergy / Potomac EdisonRegistered for: FirstEnergy, Corp.

FAVZelaya, MichelleMaryland Catholic ConferenceRegistered for: Maryland Catholic Conference

FAVHarbeson, KristenMaryland League of Conservation VotersRegistered for: Maryland League of Conservation Voters

FAVScarr, EmilyMaryland PIRGRegistered for: Maryland PIRG Citizen Lobby

FAVJones, AnnRegistered for: Partners for Open Space; Forever Maryland, Inc.

FAVMiller, SusanRegistered for: Earthjustice

UNFManno, RogerManno & Associates LLCRegistered for: CAUSE; Constellation; Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 35; Mechanical Contractors Association of Metro Washington; Mid-Atlantic Pipe Trades Association; Payactiv…

UNFAscher, JasonMid-Atlantic Pipe Trades AssociationRegistered for: Mid-Atlantic Pipe Trades Association; UA Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 486

FWAShriner, MariahSierra Club Maryland ChapterRegistered for: