Data Center Planning and Transparency Act
Sponsor: Sheila Ruth (District 44B)Committee: Environment and TransportationSubject: Energy and ClimateStatus: Hearing 3/10 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Sep 4, 2026)
What this bill does
Official synopsis
Requiring an owner or operator of a large-scale data center to submit a disclosure report to certain State and local agencies and elected officials under certain circumstances; specifying the contents of the disclosure report; requiring the Department of the Environment to publish the disclosure report on its website within 30 days of receiving the report; requiring, by June 30, 2027, each local jurisdiction with a population of at least 10,000 residents to adopt by local law a large-scale data center plan; etc.
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Testimony (53)
MGA witness listFAV 45FavorableFWA 2Favorable with amendmentsUNF 6Unfavorable
| Position | Witness | Organization | Testimony |
|---|---|---|---|
| FAV | Stegman, Matt | Chesapeake Bay Foundation | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Demiray, Sonia | Climate Communications Coalition | Position only |
| FAV | Hession, Melody | Delaware-Maryland Synod of the ELCA | Position only |
| FAV | Harris, Mrs | District 25 Constituent | Position only |
| FAV | Stewart, Frances | Elders Climate Action Maryland | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Bartolomeo, Kathleen | GCAN, MCRT | Position only |
| FAV | Gaver, Lisa | Gaver Farm, LLC | Position only |
| FAV | Orozco, Andrea | Interfaith Power & Light (DC.MD.NoVa) | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Tulkin, Joshlobbyist | MD Sierra Club | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Guilfoil, Mona | MD Third Act or Marylanders for Data Center Reform | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Zelaya, Michellelobbyist | Maryland Catholic Conference | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Plante, Cecilia | Maryland Legislative Coalition | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Olateju, Oluwatosin | Maryland Public Health Association (MdPHA) | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Kinsey, Kathy | Mobilize Frederick | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Davis, Mariahlobbyist | Nature Forward | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Nicholas, Betsy | Potomac Riverkeeper Network | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| FAV | McNair, Lee | Unitarian Universalist Environmental Justice Ministry | Position only |
| FAV | Hamidi, Renee | Valleys Planning Council | Position only |
| FAV | Broder, Robin | Waterkeepers Chesapeake | Position only |
| FAV | Kaplowitz, Richard KAP | Year | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Alexander, Peter | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Arndt, Dave | Individual | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Barnett, Susan | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Cohn, Debbie | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Corcoran, Jackson | Individual | Oral + Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Davis, Donna | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Delegate Ruth, Delegate Ruthlegislator | Individual | Oral |
| FAV | Ford, John | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Girdner, Linnie | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Grochowski, Kathy | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Held, Karl | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Kable, John | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Kable, Robin | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Kranz, Rhonda | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Lefstein, Gita | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | MIller, Kenneth | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Molony, Scott | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Ruth, Sheila | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Seibel, Derek | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Shopland, Jamie | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Soderstrom, Derek | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Werner, James | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | Wilson, Maryrose | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| FAV | Wright, Lisa | Individual | Position only |
| FAV | bugos, robin | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Butchko, Dominic | Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Allen, Hannahlobbyist | Maryland Chamber of Commerce | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Coker, Harry | Maryland Department of Commerce | Written (PDF) |
| UNF | Zirkle, Andrewlobbyist | Maryland Tech Council | Oral |
| UNF | Tibbals, Trudy | Individual | Position only |
| UNF | Vetter, Drew | Individual | Written (PDF) |
| FWA | Colbert, Jordan | Maryland National Capitol Park and Planning Commission | Written (PDF) |
| FWA | Neumeister, Shelley | Individual | Oral + Written (PDF) |
Organizations on record
Gaver Farm, LLCFAV 1
GCAN, MCRTFAV 1
MD Sierra ClubFAV 1
Mobilize FrederickFAV 1
Nature ForwardFAV 1
YearFAV 1