A resident-led petition campaign has led to local moratoriums on data centers in Prince George’s County, Maryland, affecting plans for a $5 billion data center campus at the former Landover Mall site. Taylor Frazier McCollum, who began organizing after being evicted from her home in 2024, collected more than 25,000 signatures opposing the project. The opposition led to the implementation of multiple local moratoriums on data centers, which paused the development that was set to break ground between 2026 and 2027.
The developer of the 90-acre site, which has been mostly vacant since the mall closed in 2002, received initial approval from county planners in 2024. The proposed project would occupy more than 80 acres. Frazier McCollum and a coalition of environmentalists and neighbors raised concerns regarding the potential for water pollution and the use of diesel generators near residential areas.
The pause comes as Prince George’s County faces a budget deficit following the closure of a local Six Flags, the planned relocation of the Washington Commanders to Washington, D.C., and job losses among federal workers. County Council member Wanika Fisher has noted that the county must address its economic future and suggested that while data centers may not be the only solution, the revenue they generate is worth discussion. Frazier McCollum has proposed alternative uses for the site, such as affordable housing or a sports complex, though she acknowledged these would be less lucrative than the data center campus.
For the residents, the immediate change is the absence of a large facility that neighbors feared would impact local air and water quality. Conversely, the lack of new tax revenue may limit the county’s ability to fund community programs. Similar debates are occurring nationwide, with estimates of about 500 moratoriums on data centers currently in place. Frazier McCollum intends for her movement to set a precedent for other communities fighting against hyperscale data centers.
What happens next: The Landover project remains on hold, and Frazier McCollum is advocating for a full ban on data center projects in the area. Frazier McCollum has expanded her efforts to assist similar groups in Atlanta, Memphis, and Zambia, while considering a future run for local office once her personal financial and housing situation stabilizes.