Understanding the resource use of the proposed data centers in Dickerson at the site of the shuttered Pepco plant has been difficult. Despite getting approval from planning staff, there is not yet a detailed site plan for this project.
MCA and our partners at Sugarloaf Citizens maintain that without a complete site plan that answers basic questions about how much water (from the Potomac - maybe some from the Aquifer) and power will be used there - this plan cannot be approved.
MCA attended the next step in the process, a hearing with the Office of Zoning and Administrative Hearings. Hearing that the applicant had still not produced a full plan, MCA asked to submit some community concerns to be added to the hearing record. Our concerns covered water, power, and how this large power draw and carbon emitter will fit in with County and State zero emissions policies- our full submission here.
In response, the applicant, Terra Energy, had their attorney send a letter to the hearing examiner dismissing our concerns - your concerns - and ask that they be stricken from the record. (update - we have responded here)
Some key passages from the Attorney's letter:
- "Moreover, the materials concern issues not applicable here (like ground water impact, use of agricultural land and climate change),..
-"Overall, the comments are both irrelevant and immaterial to the circumstances of this case. They either should be stricken or given little to no weight."
Water
-The results will be far superior to those of the last 70 years when a coal fired power plant operated on the site. As stated at the hearing, Applicant will have to obtain final permits for water withdrawal from the Maryland Department of the Environment once the final size of the proposed facilities, their location and the engineering details of the water system are determined.
-In terms of groundwater and the aquifer which the Countryside Alliance references, the claims also are irrelevant and immaterial. The water used for cooling will come from the Potomac River, not from any underground aquifer. Any well water from the aquifer will be very limited, for use only as normal drinking water and internal use for a very limited number of employees.