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The story has broadened from isolated local moratorium fights into a clearer regional pattern in Georgia, South Carolina, and Michigan, with officials now more explicitly framing the pauses as a response to weak or missing statewide siting standards. The current version also clarifies that some existing or expanded projects are being carved out of the moratoriums.

The story has broadened from general local resistance in Georgia and South Carolina to specific, named policy actions and project fights, including an exclusion for QTS in Augusta and a Michigan referendum challenge to a rezoning. The current version also adds sharper project-scale stakes, especially Spartanburg's review of a much larger expansion with added natural-gas generation.

• Augusta approved a 49-day pause that excludes QTS.
• Spartanburg is reviewing a 50 MW to 450 MW expansion.
• Paulding residents are demanding a moratorium after text amendments.
• Michigan voters will decide on reversing a rezoning.
• Thor Equities' $1 billion campus is now part of the dispute.

The story has broadened from a moratorium-focused slowdown into a more active round of local rulemaking, with counties and cities now using zoning amendments, setbacks, hearings, and even litigation to shape where data centers can go. South Carolina counties stand out more clearly as pairing pauses with legal or zoning action around large hyperscale-style projects.

The story has broadened from Georgia-only restrictions into a regional wave of local data center crackdowns across Georgia and South Carolina. The biggest new development is that temporary moratoriums are now widespread and paired with tighter zoning reviews, while some jurisdictions are moving toward outright bans.

• The story now includes South Carolina counties, not just Georgia governments.
• Several jurisdictions are using temporary moratoriums to slow approvals.
• Some localities are considering outright bans through zoning amendments.
• Large proposed campuses in South Carolina and Calhoun are under active review.
• South Carolina lacks complete state siting standards, leaving counties to act alone.

Georgia local governments are tightening restrictions on data centers as residents and officials raise concerns about water use, power demand, neighborhood impacts, and rapid siting decisions. Bulloch County has extended a moratorium and moved toward a zoning ban, while Augusta is considering similar limits.