Dickerson Data Center Update & Reminders

A Montgomery County Council committee on July 22 voted to support an 18-month moratorium on large-scale data centers. None can be approved, and no applications for data centers can be processed during the moratorium and before the County develops zoning rules regulating them.

The measure encompasses the proposal by a company called Atmosphere to build a 110-acre, 5-building data center campus in Dickerson.

The measure now goes to the full Council for a vote on July 28. It is expected to be approved as more than six Council members have already indicated their support.

The 18-month pause period is intended to allow the Council to thoroughly evaluate the risks posed by large data centers, and to draft regulations that will specify where they can be built and what rules they have to abide by.

There’s existing tension in that space already. Atmosphere released an updated plan and analysis of the issues in play on July 20. The company is saying it will likely be unable to meet certain desires and requests from County lawmakers and advocacy groups.

Read our updated (July 23) web post for more information.

It’s not too late for public comments. Ask Council members to enact the 18-month moratorium.

Please visit Montgomery Countryside Alliance (MCA) and Climate Coalition Montgomery County for information on how to contact your elected representatives. Both sites have background information as well.

We also welcome your comments to us directly at info@sugarloafcitizens.org.

Farm Tour this Weekend

The 2026 Montgomery County Farm Tour and Harvest Sale will take place on Saturday and Sunday, July 25-26. Featuring 26 agricultural locations throughout the County’s Agricultural Reserve (AR), it brings home what the AR is all about.

Participants can sample craft beverages at eight participating farms. Flower enthusiasts can find botanical beauty at five farms, and foodies can enjoy browsing local produce, farm-raised meats, and specialty items at seven farms.

The annual event showcases the 93,000-acre Ag Reserve—which has more than 77% of its area protected through agricultural easements and has served as a national model of farmland preservation since 1980. There are more than 580 farms and 350 horticultural businesses located throughout the Ag Reserve. These agricultural businesses are vital as they pump more than $280 million into the County’s economy.

You can read all about the tour and the participating farms here.

Council to Discuss Trash Incinerator on July 28

The County Council has scheduled an initial discussion on July 28 about the County’s long-delayed plans to significantly change the way it processes trash. One pathway in a brand new system would permanently close the County’s polluting trash incinerator (located in Dickerson).

You can watch the briefing here.

The County’s Department of Environmental Projection has developed a good plan, which includes expanding food scrap composting, more recycling, and reuse programs, and fully closing the incinerator in 2027. But the Council took a pass this Spring on assessing that plan.

Instead, it postponed discussions until this month and then in September and October.

We have urged the Council to stick to a schedule that would reach a decision by early November at the latest.

You can read our web post on this issue here.

SCA’s August 29 Farm-to-Table Dinner Fundraiser

Tickets are now on sale on our website for this wonderful event. Here’s the direct link to the webpage. And below is the flyer with QR code.  Please share with friends.  There’s a cap on the number of people who can attend and ticket sales have been robust.  So don’t miss out!  We’d love to have you join us.