Outsized water and power needs are the headline issues for data centers but less discussed is the constant droning noise of pumps and fans to keep the equipment running 24-7 - different from other uses in industrial zones that do not operate overnight. 

They type of noise is different too - infrasound is a lower frequency hum than noise ordinances are designed to guard against. This type of noise is "felt more than heard" causing vertigo, sleeplessness and nausea.  This type of sound also travels a lot further than higher frequencies - making the impacts of data centers measureable in miles, not feet. 

The noise ordinances in Montgomery County are meant to stop loud parties and put reasonable hours on construction noise. It is a complaint based system. A complaint against a billion dollar project once built will not likely shut it down. They are not up to the challenge of protecting residents against data center noise. 

From the New York Times: 
"Some of the noise consists of infrasound, ultralow frequency sound waves that fall below the threshold of human hearing.Instead of audibly hearing these extremely low frequencies, people physically feel them as pressure fluctuations, much like the deep vibration of a bass drum shaking your core at a concert, said Scott Hamilton, a member of the Acoustical Society of America and a consultant on data center projects.
This can leave the traditional gauges of noise, and solutions for dampening it, inadequate to meet modern needs."

This is just the sort of issue the council needs time to understand and react to by crafting strong regulations that deal with this completely novel type of development. That's why MCA along with 30+ other local civic groups support a two year moratorium. Please take a moment before the hearing record closes to write in support. 
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Thanks to all those that showed up /testified at the 6/16 hearing. You can view the video of all 80 speakers on data centers here. 

​Here is MCA's testimony
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We've selected some choice testimony to highlight: 

From Dick Thoms, a retired cooling system engineer:
"Montgomery County is being asked to permit an unregulated facility that is a massive and environmentally risky Industrial use, without the information needed to assess the risks.
In Dickerson, the developer is actively suppressing public and expert input to the permitting process by the use of unnecessary NDAs. This permit process is:
• without the benefit of expert assessment of risks,
• without the time to develop appropriate risk mitigation regulations,
• and without meaningful public input regarding the impact of the risks involved.
Further, the developer is likely unable to dictate to his client - a firm such as Amazon or Microsoft or Disney - what type of Data Center mechanical systems to use.
Given that the proposed data center project design will ultimately be published to the construction industry in order to solicit multiple bids, it is obvious that the NDAs are more about constraining the permit process than protecting proprietary design information."

From Leslie Saville, Retired MoCo Planner

"I am not an expert on data centers, but in reviewing the Dickerson application and our zoning ordinance, I can see that we are not prepared to assess and manage their negative impacts on our communities.
Issues that I see include noise impacts not captured by our noise ordinance, power usage, backup power impacts, C&O Canal user impacts (primarily noise and vibrations), and water usage. We need to thoughtfully establish conditional use standards, and create enforcement mechanisms through regulations. DPS, DEP and planning staff can provide excellent technical advice on the known negative impacts of this use. A complete fiscal analysis must be provided to Council. The costs AND the benefits should be entirely on the table for the public to see."


We want to thank our stalwart partners from the MoCo Climate Coalition, Food and Water Watch, the Democratic Socialists of America MoCo, MoCo Sierra Club and Sugarloaf Citizens Association - all working together in your interest toward the best outcome. 

Since 2023 when we first heard of this data center project we have worked to find out more information. The plans submitted to the planning department are encumbered with a number of NDAs making fact finding difficult.  The email asks, 'What are we so worried about?" Here are a few things: 

Water: 

• Atmosphere will only withdraw water from the River when the ambient temperature exceeds 75 degrees and lose 67% of it to evaporation or other loss - the summer months are when the river is at its lowest and existing data centers across the watershed are already using 12% of the Potomac during the summer months. The Interstate Commission on the Potomac is sounding the alarm about data center water use throughout the region increasing drought frequency and severity. 
• The Potomac was just named "the nations most endangered river" siting rapid data center growth in the watershed.
• The water will be cycled multiple times through the system and amended with bleach as a biocide. Bleach will be made and stored on site above the Piedmont Sole Source Aquifer - the only source of water for one third of the county. 

Atmosphere’s Track Record On the Environment:

• Atmosphere has not yet gained permits or constructed any Data Centers, Dickerson would be their first. Their website lists potential projects in South Carolina, Nashville, and Kansas City.

Climate Goals: 

• This massive power consuming industry presents a real challenge to the county's climate change goal of achieving carbon neutral by 2035. 
  

Noise: 

• Data Centers have become synonymous with noise impacts - the cooling fans and pumps plus generators emit a low background hum around the clock that interrupts sleep and has other health impacts. Recently, reports of lower frequency “infrasound” that is felt rather than heard detail major health impacts like chronic nausea and vertigo. This low frequency vibration noise pollution is not addressed by current county noise ordinances. 
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Power Rate Issues: 

• The Maryland Office of People’s Counsel has raised the alarm that Marylanders are on the hook for $2 Billion in increased power rates from data centers built in neighboring states. 
• Regional grid operator PJM has advised leaders that data center demand will lead to black outs and brown outs by 2027.
• ​The Dickerson data center project will be bringing none of its own power and instead rely entirely on the grid to meet its 360 MW needs (300,000 homes) and use 149 diesel generators for back up power, tested monthly. A study out of GMU has found that diesel exhaust makes living next to a data center less healthy than living close to a gas plant.