Balancing Justice and Data Center Development
A Virtual Community Forum

November 18, 2024, 7 – 8:30 PM

To raise awareness about the potential adverse environmental impacts of the rapidly-expanding data center industry, the Sierra Club Prince George’s County Group, in partnership with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Psi Epsilon Omega Chapter, hosted a virtual community forum, “Environmental Justice and You: Balancing Justice and Data Center Development” on November 18, 2024. With PGSC Executive Committee member Nicole Jackson facilitating, the event featured presentations by three regional experts, followed by small-group discussions in breakout rooms. There were 74 attendees, of whom 42 were from Prince George’s County and 12 were from elsewhere in Maryland. A recording of the event is available here. A facilitation guide and resources  were provided for the participants. After the session, Prince George’s County residents were provided with information about the County Council Hearing about data center legislation (CB-52-2024) to be held the next day.  Read More

 UPDATE FROM MARYLAND COALITION FOR RESPONSIBLE TRANSIT
By Kathy Bartolomeo

July 31, 2024

The Maryland Coalition for Responsible Transit (MCRT) continues to provide information to our state legislators about why the SCMaglev project is not appropriate for Maryland.

Recent cross-filed bills in the Maryland General Assembly -- Delegate Nicole Williams's HB 170 and Senator Alonzo Washington's SB 79 – would prevent state appropriations to fund SCMaglev. Though they did not pass out of committee in 2024, a similar bill will be presented next year.

Last year, BWRR submitted an application for a Water Quality Certification (WQC) to MDE.  MCRT and many other groups and individuals weighed in. BWRR rescinded their application but will reapply again. For information, including recordings of the public hearings and the numerous comments submitted go here. 

The MDE provides oversight and guidance through the certification process. Rich Dolesh of the Friends of the Patuxent River, had this to say in contributing his expertise to the MCRT review: “It is worth noting that MDE as a regulatory agency is not in the business of rejecting permits.”  Rather, the MDE grants permits “for such economic and transportation development projects as long as they fully meet requirements of law and regulation.” Further, he supports our view that the “ . . . MCRT and many other participating groups and individuals who have tracked this project and commented on its deficiencies have performed a valuable public service. . . It will remain up to us to continue to be vigilant in ensuring that every requirement of Maryland and federal law and regulation is followed.”

MCRT’s Strategy/Action Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom. If you are interested in attending, please email us and we’ll add you to the MCRT email distribution list.

  Timing your electricity use to decrease environmental impacts