Imagine a beloved Christmas tree farm, its serene landscape threatened by towering transmission lines—all to power the booming AI industry. Is this progress or a sacrifice too far? Fox Business host Dagen McDowell thinks it’s time to ‘get on board,’ but not everyone agrees. Here’s the full story, and it’s more complex than you might think.
McDowell recently defended the $424 million Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project, which aims to build 67 miles of high-voltage transmission lines through three Maryland counties. These lines would power artificial intelligence data centers in Virginia, a move proponents argue is essential for economic growth. But here’s where it gets controversial: the project would cut through Gaver Farm in Mount Airy, a cherished agrotourism destination known for its Christmas trees. Laura House, the farm’s agrotourism manager, called the plan ‘devastating,’ arguing that Maryland is merely an ‘extension cord’ for Virginia’s needs, with no real benefit to the state itself.
McDowell didn’t mince words in her response. ‘If you don’t like it, the United States would gladly saw off Maryland and kick it into the Atlantic Ocean,’ she quipped on The Big Money Show. She dismissed concerns about AI, framing the issue as part of broader ‘growth and development of business.’ But this is the part most people miss: while the project’s website claims it will ‘bolster the reliability of the state’s power grid,’ a 2023 report by PJM reveals the real driving force is the explosive growth of data centers in northern Virginia. The proposed operation date? June 2027.
McDowell doubled down, arguing that the project isn’t about AI but about economic growth for the U.S. She even took a jab at the farm, saying, ‘It’s a tree farm—not growing food. The alternative would be some liberal putting giant solar panels on that land, and you won’t be growing any Christmas trees, either.’ When co-host Brian Brenberg pointed out the aesthetic impact of the ‘gross-looking’ transmission towers, McDowell’s response was blunt: ‘Everybody needs to get on board. Buy a fake tree!’
Her ‘fake tree’ suggestion didn’t sit well with viewers or her co-hosts. Online critics slammed the idea, with one tweeting, ‘Nothing more anti-Christmas than telling someone to buy a fake tree because of some AI shiz.’ Another quipped, ‘Ah yes, I’d love my electric and water bill to be even higher.’ The debate even sparked accusations of a ‘war on Christmas,’ with one user sarcastically asking, ‘Is this the “war on Christmas” they’ve been screeching about for decades?’
But here’s the bigger question: Where do you draw the line between progress and preserving tradition? Is it fair to sacrifice local landmarks for corporate expansion? And what does this say about the balance between economic growth and community values? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—this is one debate that’s far from over.
