Amazon Web Services has filed a concept site plan application for the Calvert Technology Center, a proposed large-scale data center development on two parcels owned by Constellation Energy Group near the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant.
The initial application was submitted May 4, with application fees paid May 18 and Environmental Health fees paid May 26. No construction permits have been issued, and the concept review does not constitute project approval.
The proposed project, located at 1650 Calvert Cliffs Parkway in Lusby, calls for eight data center buildings ranging from 266,000 to 332,000 gross square feet each, along with supporting office, auxiliary utility, and security buildings. In total, the proposal includes approximately 2.464 million square feet of data center space across three independently operated campuses.
Campus 1, located south of Calvert Cliffs Parkway, would include two data centers, an office building, a utility building, and security structures. Campus 2, located about a half-mile south, would include two data centers. Campus 3, located south of Johns Creek near the southern property boundary, would include four data centers.
A 30-foot-wide private access drive with an 8-foot shared-use path would connect the campuses. Three buried structural steel plate bridge arches and one additional bridge are planned to cross wetland and stream valleys.
The northern parcel is approximately 965 acres, while the southern parcel is approximately 1,085 acres. Both are zoned I-2 Heavy Industrial under the Calvert County Zoning Ordinance. Each campus would occupy dedicated lease areas within the larger site.
A concept stormwater management report prepared April 29 by Langan Engineering describes the existing site as largely forested, with undulating terrain, Johns Creek flowing east to west, extensive nontidal wetlands, and smaller streams. The property is located in the St. Leonard Creek watershed, with a portion in FEMA Zone A floodplain. Soils are predominantly Hydrologic Soil Group A.
The stormwater design proposes six wet extended detention ponds and five bioretention facilities to meet water quality, channel protection, and 2-year and 10-year peak flow requirements under Calvert County and Maryland Department of the Environment standards.
According to the report, micro-scale Environmental Site Design practices were evaluated but deemed infeasible because of steep slopes, wetlands, forest constraints, and soil conditions.
The next step is review of the Concept Site Plan by Calvert County government departments and other reviewing agencies.
The Calvert County Department of Planning and Zoning notified the public of the filing for transparency. According to the department’s email, “This notification is being provided for transparency purposes only and is not part of the formal development review process. The intent is to keep the public informed as information becomes available.”
The AWS application has been discussed at prior Board of County Commissioners and Planning Commission meetings. Planning and Zoning Director Jason Brinkley noted during an April 15 meeting that AWS had submitted documents to the Maryland Department of the Environment, but said at the time that he did not have access to those documents or know what level of environmental review had been triggered.
The filing comes amid continued debate over data centers in Calvert County. Residents have raised concerns about potential environmental and infrastructure impacts, as well as agreements involving data center companies.
Commissioners Mike Hart and Catherine Grasso previously made two unsuccessful attempts to enact a temporary moratorium on data center development. On May 5, the Board of County Commissioners voted to require data centers to comply with updated text amendments until construction begins, preventing projects from being grandfathered under prior regulations before reaching that stage.
Calvert County maintains a dedicated data centers webpage with project updates and documents. Residents can also learn more about the commercial zoning and site plan review process through the county website.
