Our 25th post in the continuing series on the data center industry in Frederick County, Maryland revisits the precious commodity of water. Over the past several months, I’ve written two articles examining one of the most common questions surrounding the Quantum Frederick campus: How much water do data centers really use? Those articles explained how...
This is the 24th article in MacRo’s ongoing series examining the proposed data center industry in Frederick County. The purpose of this article is to explain the recent procedural action taken by the County Executive—not to advocate for or against that decision. When County Executive Jessica Fitzwater recently asked the Maryland Rural Legacy Board to...
This is the twenty-third article in a series examining the technology, infrastructure, and development of data centers in Frederick County’s Critical Digital Infrastructure Overlay Zone (CDI-OZ). For this post, it’s time to get a bit technical! In my June 22 piece, “Data Center Backup Generators: Separating Fact from Fiction,” I explained why hyperscale facilities continue...
Over the past several months, Rocky Mackintosh has written a series of articles designed to help residents better understand what is actually happening within Frederick County’s CDI-OZ Data Center District. This twentieth installment focuses on one of the most frequently discussed—and often misunderstood—components of modern data centers: backup power generators. Why Backup Generators Exist Among...
With the June primary election underway, Quantum Frederick and the CDI-OZ Overlay have become central topics in county politics. Candidates, activists, and residents have raised concerns about water consumption, electric demand, diesel generators, transparency, farmland preservation, and the long-term impact of data centers on Frederick County. Public debate is healthy and necessary. Large-scale projects deserve...
This is the 18th in MacRo’s AI Corner series on data centers in Frederick County. In our April 15th post, we examined the lawsuit filed by Quantum Maryland, LLC and Frederick County voter Joan Aquilino — a compelling case arguing that the data center zoning ordinance is not legally subject to a citizen referendum. That...
Today’s 17th AI Corner post calls for a return to a more measured, fact-based and civil discussion around data center development in Frederick County, recognizing both legitimate concerns and the importance of thoughtful planning. In my previous posts, we asked whether data centers are being fairly evaluated and explored what alternative forms of development might...
This is the 16th of MacRo’s AI series. In previous posts, we’ve asked whether data centers are being fairly evaluated—or whether they have become the focal point for broader infrastructure concerns. We also examined the legal challenge to referendum in last week’s Article 15. These questions naturally lead to another: If not data centers, then...
This is the 15th in the series of articles in MacRo’s AI Corner focusing on the data center industry in Frederick County. Over the course of the last 2 years, our government has engaged the community in countless hours of discussion and planning over the matter of properly managing the placement and growth of data...
Today’s 14th of MacRo AI Series post examines the growing concerns surrounding data center development in Frederick County, asking whether the industry is being fairly evaluated—or whether broader infrastructure challenges are being attributed to a single, highly visible use. Over the past year, data centers have moved from being a largely invisible part of the...