This section brings together external organizations, research institutions, policy references, and practical guidance relevant to technology and infrastructure decisions affecting Montgomery County.
The materials listed here span multiple perspectives and levels of engagement — from local civic coalitions and public oversight bodies to national advocacy groups, scientific researchers, legal organizations, and educational resources. Together, they help illuminate how infrastructure policies are shaped, how health and environmental questions are studied, and what tools residents may use to better understand or respond to technology-related developments.
Some organizations focus on public health and environmental research, others on privacy and governance, and others on legal or policy reform. Inclusion of a resource does not imply endorsement of every position expressed; rather, it reflects its relevance to ongoing discussions about infrastructure, regulation, public process, and community impacts.
This section is periodically updated as new research, organizations, and tools emerge.
Local & Regional Advocacy and Oversight
Organizations and coalitions working on technology-related infrastructure, environmental health, and public process in Montgomery County and the surrounding region.
- EPIC of MoCo – Empowering People in Communities of MoCo
- Marylanders for Data Center Reform – a group of 40 environmental organizations and community groups promoting sustainable, transparent, equitable, and accountable data center development by mounting a coordinated campaign to require the industry to reduce and mitigate its extreme energy use, utilize renewable resources, and limit the construction of new fossil fuel power plants.
- Montgomery Countryside Alliance – Promoting and protecting rural Montgomery County, Maryland.
- Montgomery County Civic Federation – Serving the public interest in Montgomery County, Maryland, since 1925.
- Montgomery County Coalition for the Control of Cell Towers – Fighting for fair, transparent, and accurate regulation of cell poles and cell towers to minimize adverse impacts to surrounding land uses, respect the harmony and aesthetic character of the communities, and protect the safety of all residents.
- MoCo SafeG
- Parents’ Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland – Formed in 2002, the Parents’ Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland seeks to achieve the goals of coherent, content-rich curriculum standards; high expectations combined with timely remediation and acceleration; a wider range of educational options for parents and children; greater transparency and accountability; and meaningful community input.
Policy, Law & Public Governance
Resources that help explain how technology and infrastructure decisions are made, regulated, and challenged.
- Center for Humane Technology
- Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC)
- Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Digital Infrastructure & Data Centers
Brockovich AI Data Center Project – A national resource focused on AI data center development, community impacts, news/articles, and public reporting of data center concerns or issues.
https://brockovichdatacenter.com/
Community Impact Information
https://brockovichdatacenter.com/community-impact.html
Research, Science & Public Health
Scientific, medical, and environmental research related to wireless radiation, emerging technologies, and public health.
- Environmental Health Trust
- Environmental Health Sciences
- BioInitiative Report
- Physicians For Safe Technology
- National Toxicology Program Fact Sheet – “Cellphone Radio Frequency Radiation Studies – PDF” (See its expression of concern about 5G on page 4.)
Looking for research and scientific materials?
Our curated summaries of peer-reviewed studies, government reports, and scientific analyses are available in the Scientific Studies section.
Tools, Practical Guidance & How-To Resources
Hands-on information for residents seeking practical steps.
- Companion Toolkit — The People Say No: Resisting Data Centers
Smart Meter Opt-Out Information for Montgomery County, MD - Reducing Wireless Radiation Exposure – Environmental Health Trust
- 10 Tips To Reduce Cell Phone Radiation – Environmental Health Trust
- How To Reduce EMF Exposure in Schools and Classrooms – Environmental Health Trust
- How Environmental RF Levels Are Measured Example using Acoustimeter AM-10
National & Global Context
- Americans For Responsible Tech (ART)
- BroadBand International Legal Action Network (BBILAN)
- Safe Screens: – A national nonprofit focused on children’s health and development in relation to screen use and wireless technologies.
- Safe Tech International
- We Are Not Sam – Because we are human, not dummies.
- 704 No More™ – a nationwide, nonpartisan coalition effort to restore state and local control over cell tower and antenna siting.
Additional Reading & Critical Perspectives
Independent research and analysis exploring how technology, data systems, and policy intersect with education, health, governance, and society.
- Alison McDowell – https://wrenchinthegears.com/
This work examines large-scale trends in education technology, data governance, and digital systems, and is included to provide broader context and critical analysis.
Page content is being actively reviewed and reorganized.