Maryland City Pushes Back on Amazon’s Transatlantic Ireland Cable Station Proposal Amid Data Center Fears
Maryland residents warn the 24,000-square-foot facility could strain energy use and the environment.
March 30, 2026 – Residents are pushing back on plans to build Amazon’s 24,000-square-foot cable landing station in Ocean City, Maryland.
Citing energy use, environment, and quality of life concerns, several neighboring property owners banded together to submit a memorandum to the Worcester County Commissioners detailing their opposition to Globalinx’s proposed transatlantic cable system, which would be used by Amazon. This was first reported by OC Today-Dispatch on March 26, 2026.
“While presented as ‘economic development,’ the scale of this 24,000-square-foot, 5-megawatt facility represents a high-intensity industrial utility that poses significant risks to the coastal environment and the financial well-being of Worcester County residents,” the letter from The Community Coalition of Impacted Property Owners said.
The coalition said the increased energy use would require “massive grid updates,” while also producing noise and light pollution for nearby businesses and residents. They also expressed frustration regarding the lack of transparency and state overreach, stating that the county should be focused on how to “protect constituents rather than facilitate developers.”
As a result, residents have been seeking out a pause in the permitting process until after an environmental impact study can be performed.
Both local leaders and residents were new to discovering Globalinx’s plans to install the cable landing station, which would connect cables from the southwest coast of Ireland to a landing site at the municipal airport. Under the 25-year lease, Ocean City would collect $800,000, plus $200,000 for every additional cable installed.
Community members and neighboring business owners said the station proposal resembles a data center because it has equipment cabinets, backup generators, and uses power. But Globalinx CEO Greg Twitt told the OC Today-Dispatch that the company hopes to be “good stewards of the land,” and assured that “we are not a data center.”
Twitt further asserted that the station will serve as a connection point for subsea cables, allowing fiber optic lines to be distributed to better internet connection. He added that water usage would be minimal, construction would not be disruptive, and power demand would initially be low.
“If you drove past it, it would look like a normal building, like a warehouse or office building,” Twitt said to the OC Today-Dispatch.
Worcester County Commissioner Eric Fiori, the representative of the station’s district, agreed with the community’s concerns that even though the facility is not a full-scale data center, there may still be negative impacts. He expressed concern over noise pollution and the station not meeting the county’s zoning code.
“This is the wrong spot for this,” Fiori said to the OC Today-Dispatch. “It’s on Route 611 in a mostly residential district.”
The Community Coalition of Impacted Property Owners asked that alternative sites be considered for the project and that a town hall meeting be held with Globalinx. Worcester County is considering holding a public meeting to discuss concerns around the new cable station and to better explain the project to the community.
While residents have said they have a lack of information about the project, they hope for increased transparency in the process moving forward.
Member discussion