A pledge by Maryland’s top environmental official to support a data center developer’s plan to revamp a retired coal plant has opened a rift between environmentalists and Gov. Wes Moore, pitting the potential 2028 Democratic hopeful against greens worried about the project’s climate impacts.
The dispute spilled into public this week after the power plant’s developer, TeraWulf, disclosed a letter from Maryland Environmental Secretary Serena McIlwain pledging to help the company secure permits to convert the retired coal plant into a gas-fired facility. That includes help securing rights of way to allow TeraWulf to build a new gas pipeline to the plant.
“If it runs on gas and requires a pipeline, we will do everything in our power to mobilize public opinion, file lawsuits, to do whatever it takes to stop the governor from doing this,” said Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network.
The group is planning a rally in Annapolis on Thursday to oppose the project.
