Tag: data centers
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What is the Utility RELIEF Act and Where Is It Now?
The Utility RELIEF Act is a broad energy and environmental bill focused on lowering electricity costs for Maryland ratepayers. It is an omnibus bill, incorporating aspects from at least 15 different energy and environmental bills that did not pass on their own this session. Originally, the bill’s data center provisions were fairly weak. However, after working with members of the Senate Committee on Education, Energy, and the Environment, several of Nature Forward and Marylanders…
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Nature Forward Statement on Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ Sale of Publicly Owned, County Land for New Data Center Development
For Immediate Release – March 18, 2026 For more information contact Lisa Goodnight at [email protected] or 301-450-1478, or Nature Forward Communications Director [email protected] 301-450-1458 Chevy Chase, MD – Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors undermined its own climate goals and One Fairfax equity policy by unanimously approving the sale of publicly owned, County land to a…
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Data Center Bills for MDGA2026
Sine Die Updates: You can read our full press release on the end of session here! Crossover Updates Before Crossover, Governor Wes Moore and General Assembly leadership introduced the Utility RELIEF Bill, which is an omnibus bill that includes many of the energy and data center bills that we have been working on. Even if…
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Rally for Data Center Reform on March 11!
Join the Marylanders for Data Center Reform coalition for our inaugural Lobby Day for data center reform. Sign up to meet with YOUR legislators to advocate for responsible data center development in Maryland. Kick off the day at 9 AM at Lawyer’s Mall (in front of the State House) with speakers, then join us for…
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Data Centers are said to create jobs, but people need to know: what kind and how many?
Guest post by Nature Forward volunteer Sheila Igoe…if you’d like to research, write, and edit educational materials like this, reach out! Photo via The Cyber Express Among the many controversies surrounding data center construction is the question of jobs–how many and what kind will be created during construction and operational periods? Empirical evidence shows that…
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Data Centers and Water Use
The rapid expansion of server-based data management and storage, especially with the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) has spurred a major data center building boom. This growth has driven a concomitant demand for the land, electricity, and water needed for these new data centers.
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What is PJM? Why Does It Matter? How Can You Help?
PJM is the regional transmission organization (RTO) for our area here in the mid-Atlantic. Originally responsible for Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland (thus, PJM), it now manages the electric grid for the entire mid-Atlantic and parts of the Midwest. As explained below, PJM has enormous power over electricity rates and the availability of clean energy.
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2026 Virginia General Assembly Legislative Priorities
2026 Virginia General Assembly Legislative Priorities (Updated as of 4/8/26 @ 11:47amSee updates post-General Assembly here: https://natureforward.org/2026-va-ga-wrap-up/ . . . This year’s Virginia General Assembly (a time when legislators get together to make a new set of laws) has seen a lot of change since last year. Virginia has a new governor – the first…
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Meet Our Maryland Data Center Intern, Calvin
Hello Nature Forward! My name is Calvin Chrisfield (he/him), and I am excited to be one of Nature Forward’s new Data Center Interns! Over the next year, I will be supporting our Maryland Conservation Advocate and the rest of the Conservation Team to protect Maryland’s residents, ecosystems, and natural spaces from irresponsible data center development. In addition to…
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Virginia’s 2026 General Assembly will be different
A lot has happened since the November 2025 state elections! Virginia’s General Assembly will be a bit different this year. Here’s a quick lay of the land: What else will be different? Key topics we’ll be monitoring Join us in Richmond for Lobby Days: February 4 & 9, 2026 Hop on a bus, join a…