Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich is inviting residents, community groups, and stakeholders to a public forum on data centers from 7 to 9 pm on Tuesday, February 3, at the Leggett Executive Office Building in Rockville, with both in person and virtual participation available.
The forum is intended to gather public input as the county considers legislation and policies related to data centers, which are expanding regionally and present both economic opportunities and concerns related to energy use, water demand, land use, and environmental impacts.
County officials said the discussion will help inform draft legislative and policy recommendations developed by the County Executive, drawing on research and reports from neighboring jurisdictions. Natali Fani-González said the County Council is also advancing zoning proposals to guide data center development, while county climate officials emphasized the need to align any future growth with Montgomery County’s climate and sustainability goals.
