NAACP, CEEJH INC Challenge PG County Data Center Task Force Findings in New Counter-Report

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Prince George's County, MD - March 12, 2026 - NAACP and CEEJH INC co-released a comprehensive counter report to Prince George's County Qualified Data Center Task Force 2025 report. "The People's Report: A Gap Analysis of Data Center Infrastructure in Prince George's County, Maryland," the independent report, argues that the County-commission report failed to adequately examine the environmental justice and civil rights implications as well as assess the negative air quality, energy justice, and water usage impacts. Developed through a collaborative effort of public health, policy, and law academic experts, as well as community leaders and residents, the report evaluates gaps in the County Report's policy recommendations and offers alternative recommendations. The report's name, "The People's Report" reflects nationwide community members' lived experiences residing near existing centers in Loudon, Virginia and Memphis, Tennessee and includes direct responses from surveyed community members in Prince George's County.

"The NAACP is deeply concerned about the false appearance of community engagement when truly, frontline communities are often excluded from decisions about data center buildouts," said Abre' Conner, Director of the NAACP Center for Environmental and Climate Justice."We've released this report to highlight a cautionary tale, underscoring an urgent need to meaningful community engagement and to expose the lack of environmental and climate justice reflected in the Prince George's County's initial report. We continue to stand with communities across Maryland and the entire nation to ensure that those most impacted are no only heard, but are leading the conversations and decisions about data center development."

Key Findings of the Counter-Report:

• A data center siting in PG County is an environmental justice issue with already pollution-overburdened residents being majority-Black, with large swaths of Latina/o, immigrant, and low-income populations. Current regulatory frameworks are inadequate to address the scale, intensity and clustering of hyperscale data centers
• While cumulative impacts are being systematically overlooked, water withdrawals, energy demand, noise pollution, and public health effects compound pollution for communities already overexposed to environmental hazards
• Promises of job creation and tax revenue associated with data centers are frequently exaggerated

"Our future quality of life is dependent on getting this issue right." said Vernice Miller, EVP of The Metropolitan Group, Co-Founder of WE-ACT for Environmental Justice and resident of Bowie in Prince George's County, Maryland. "[This report]..is a timely and essential tool in helping people to push back against the threat posed by AI data centers to our collective well-being. This report is especially welcomed by those of us who live in Prince George's County, Maryland".

The counter-report calls on the Prince George's County Council to fully consider the findings of the People's Report, adopt the recommendations and extend the current moratorium on data center approvals, and implement a stringent cumulative impact review before any new projects are considered.

"Data Centers are an emerging environmental justice threat", states Dr. Sacoby Wilson, CEEJH Director, Professor of Global and Environmental Health at The University of Maryland, and Bowie, MD resident. "County leadership has a history of supporting irresponsible development while ignoring civil rights laws which have contributed to environmental justice issues, as well as environmental and health inequalities . It's time for a new vision for the County that focuses on the needs of the People, that emphasizes a protection of the environment and the public's health, and that centers equity and economic opportunity - that's The People's Report, and not the report of the County's Data Center Taskforce."

It is crucial to get it right in Prince Georges County, as the decisions made here will set a precedent across Maryland and beyond. By heeding the recommendations of The People's Report and the Task Force, Prince Georges County has a chance to lead with a model of responsible, equitable oversight that protects public health and encourages environmentally-friendly development.

The full counter-report can be viewed here.

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About NAACP:

Media Contact:

Chyna Fields

Public Relations Manager

[email protected]

www.naacp.org

About CEEJH INC:

Media Contact:

Jessica Berger

Director of Communications

[email protected]

www.ceejh.org