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Last Update: 08/01/2026 at 12:01 PM EST
Data Center Moratoriums Spread Nationwide
Coverage from The Conversation, Axios, and others
Articles
89
Active Days
62
The Topic
Across the United States, cities and states are imposing or considering temporary moratoriums, bans, and tighter rules for data centers as officials and residents question their effects on electricity prices, water supplies, infrastructure, and local finances. The movement is being driven less by blanket opposition than by demands for more information, slower approvals, clearer community benefits, and protections against shifting project costs to existing utility customers. The policy response remains fragmented, with some governments pausing development while others preserve projects tied to jobs, tax revenue, or specialized research.
First Article: 05/28/26
Latest Article: 07/28/26
Summary
- More than 100 proposed moratoriums have emerged across local, state, and national levels, with most seeking time to establish development rules.
- New York, New Orleans, Westfield, Monterey Park, and Coachella illustrate the range of responses, from statewide pauses to local bans and approval moratoriums.
- Residents and officials repeatedly cite electricity bills, grid capacity, water consumption, noise, pollution, and limited transparency.
- Economic benefits appear stronger in metropolitan counties and where multiple facilities or major technology operators are present than in many rural areas.
- Maine and Massachusetts show the tension between restricting new projects and preserving developments linked to jobs, tax revenue, or research.
- Polling indicates substantial support for temporary pauses, while views are more divided over whether data centers should be allowed near homes.
- The policy landscape is changing quickly and does not follow a simple partisan divide.
History
The story shifts from a mostly local/state backlash against data centers to a more explicitly policy-driven campaign for slower approvals, clearer rules, and community-benefit protections. It also adds stronger evidence that the debate is broadening politically, with polling and bipartisan coalitions suggesting this is no longer a simple partisan issue.
The story has shifted from a broad wave of local resistance to a more concrete policy fight over how data centers are priced and approved, with new state-level actions and sharper estimates of local electricity cost impacts. The latest version also more explicitly frames economic benefits as slower and more concentrated in metro areas, increasing pressure for disclosure and cost-allocation rules before projects advance.
Featured
07-10-2026
Gov. Janet Mills vetoed Maine's proposed statewide data center moratorium in 2026 while research found larger job and wage effects in metropolitan counties and about a 5% retail power-price rise in some localized service areas.
07-13-2026
Milltown Partners polling and New Orleans policy action highlight conditional public support for temporary data center construction bans, reflecting concerns about costs and water use.
06-09-2026
New York and other US jurisdictions consider and enact data center moratoriums as local opposition grows over power demand, water needs, noise, and pollution impacts.
Timeline: 62 Days
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Additional Articles
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In Canton, Ohio, and across multiple states, narrowed Clean Water Act jurisdiction and expanded nationwide permitting have reduced public comment as data centers accelerate buildouts.
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Westfield City Council approved a unanimous 12-month data center moratorium on July 6, 2026 after resident concerns, with Massachusetts pausing data center tax incentives for new guardrails.
Missouri local officials used bans and elections in Peculiar, Festus, and St. Charles as hyperscale data center proposals outpaced state water and zoning regulation.
Gov. Joe Lombardo’s Nevada economic development process conditions data center approvals on water and power plans as several counties and cities pause approvals amid rising projects.
Georgia Tech researchers link county development and clustering to local job and wage gains, while Maine vetoes a statewide data center moratorium in 2026.
Adam Wierman and other researchers describe hyperscale data center impacts on air quality and water demand as Southern California cities adopt bans and moratoria.
CFIUS and Executive Order 14299 expand national security oversight for AI data centers and foreign investment in the United States starting in 2025 and accelerating in 2026.
Monterey Park, California banned data centers on the June ballot in 2020s after public opposition to HMC Stratcap plans, with Coachella adopting a temporary approval pause.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a July 14 executive order pausing environmental reviews for hyperscale data centers above 50 MW for one year amid growing local opposition.
Amazon-backed data center projects in Canton, Ohio, and multiple U.S. states are moving faster after 2023 Supreme Court limits reduced Clean Water Act permit coverage.
Oshkosh, Wisconsin considers a one-year moratorium on data centers as Phoenix and Utah projects face water-demand and permitting disputes.
Oakley officials plan ordinances for a potential permanent data center ban while extending a moratorium through April 14, 2027, after zoning and health, water, and noise concerns.
Kathy Hochul and other regulators imposed moratoriums or connection restrictions on large data centers across New York, Maine, California, Amsterdam, and Dublin from 2019 through 2026.
New York imposed a one-year environmental permit pause for large data centers, as moratorium proposals spread amid local opposition tied to power, water, and air-quality concerns.
Loudoun County and multiple Maryland counties implemented summer pauses or limits on data center permits while updating zoning rules, with state law affecting allowed scope.
San Marcos, Texas City Council voted 4-3 on June 16 to ban data centers citywide via zoning, citing water and energy concerns as Paul Bettencourt plans a state-law challenge.
Massachusetts state lawmakers passed Senate Bill S.3143 in the Senate to impose clean energy, water, reporting, and tax-exemption conditions on new or expanded data centers.
Federal CFIUS rules, 2025 executive orders, and state foreign-ownership statutes are reshaping data center investment and siting decisions across the United States.
Hopkinton Town Council voted to study and recommend an ordinance prohibiting data centers, citing environmental, water, and power impacts amid no current local build plans.
San Marcos City Council voted June 16 to ban data centers within city limits, prompting a proposed legal challenge tied to Texas state moratorium and preemption limits.
New Orleans City Planning Commission holds a July 28 hearing on data-center zoning-code changes after a July 21 report, moving recommendations to City Council.
New York legislators passed the Responsible Data Center Development Act in 2024 to pause hyperscale data center development for one year while Monterey Park, California voters approved a permanent ban.
Brown County, Wisconsin municipalities adopted zoning amendments and moratoriums in 2024 to 2025 for hyperscale AI data centers amid resident disputes and infrastructure concerns.
Mankato and North Mankato, Minnesota, are holding and considering data center moratoriums after environmental review lawsuits and water and power impact concerns.
San Marcos, Texas City Council voted June 16 to ban data centers within city limits, with State Sen. Paul Bettencourt planning a legal challenge under House Bill 2559 and the 2023 Death Star Law.
Reno and multiple Nevada counties and cities in 2025 moved to pause or regulate new data center approvals amid local concerns about energy and water use.
Paul Bettencourt plans to challenge San Marcos, Texas data center zoning ban after June City Council adoption, amid water-demand and county pause actions.
Edgewater, Florida City Council scheduled a second hearing on an Aug. 3 ballot amendment that would ban new data centers and restrict related permits.
House Energy and Commerce Committee considers multiple data center energy and water bills as Democrats largely resist a national moratorium.
In 2025, Monterey Park and New York adopted data center moratoria, and analysts question whether fragmented bans reduce rates or emissions across interconnected power grids like PJM.
Pennsylvania, Texas, and Georgia gubernatorial candidates adjust data center positions as voters raise concerns about energy prices, land use, and water impacts.
New York legislators approved a one-year 2026 moratorium on new data centers, pending Governor Kathy Hochul’s signature and accompanied by energy and water impact cost requirements.
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Sunbury and Pataskala residents in Ohio collect signatures for charter amendments capping data centers at 25 MW to block hyperscale projects.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a yearlong moratorium on data-center construction as Humans First and America First conservatives planned July 18 nationwide protests.
Monterey Park voters approved a data-center ban in 2026 after community pushback on water and electricity disclosure tied to an HMC Stratcap proposal.
San Marcos, Texas approved a zoning ordinance June 16 to effectively ban data-center development as ERCOT grid requests rise and Governor Abbott directs cost-funding protections.
Outforia analysis ranks U.S. states by environmental pressure from hyperscale data center expansion, while New York implements a one-year permitting moratorium.
Data Center Watch reported record U.S. data center project blocks and delays in Q1 2026 as community opposition and state policy scrutiny expanded nationwide and New York enacted a one-year pause.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a one-year moratorium on new large-scale data centers as opposition grows, with water and power concerns contested in Virginia and Georgia.
Brentwood, California, councilmembers Faye Maloney and Jovita Mendoza seek a future vote on an ordinance banning new data centers within city limits.
Grant County, Santa Clara, Loudoun County, El Paso, and Montgomery reported data center tax revenues that funded schools, public services, and housing.
Global Stack LLC outlined an 8 to 10 megawatt edge data center plan for Calistoga fairgrounds in June 2025, facing resident and city opposition over environmental, water, power, and traffic concerns.
New York lawmakers passed a statewide moratorium on large new data centers in 2025, pending Gov. Kathy Hochul approval, amid parallel local moratorium efforts in Seattle and Utah.
In Maine, Governor Janet Mills vetoed a statewide moratorium bill in 2026 amid growing community opposition focused on grid capacity, water use, and zoning fights.
Georgia Tech researchers Daniel Yue and Yiyang Zeng report that data center openings raise host-county employment, wages, businesses, and electricity prices, with stronger effects in metropolitan areas.
Red Bank Borough Council voted June 11 to impose a temporary ban on data centers and urged New Jersey to pause statewide construction until oversight laws exist.
In 2020s U.S. policymaking, state proposals and city zoning changes impose data center construction moratoriums to study power and water impacts and neighborhood effects.
New York imposed a moratorium on large data center projects due to power and water consumption while Australia and European jurisdictions advanced stricter requirements.
San Marcos City Council voted in San Marcos, Texas to prohibit data centers in all zoning districts after resident concerns about neighborhoods and infrastructure demands.
Gallup data shows 75% opposition to nearby data centers, while cities and states increasingly adopt moratoriums and Monterey Park, California, voters approve a ban in June.
San Marcos, Texas city council enacted a June 16 ban on new data center projects after resident groups cited water, power, and noise concerns.
On June 25, 2026, Global Stack LLC proposed a 10 MW edge data center and rooftop eVTOL landing space at Calistoga Fairgrounds, facing strong resident opposition.
Illinois and Missouri local governments and multiple states introduced new guardrails in 2024 after residents raised water and energy concerns about expanding data centers.
Champaign County, Illinois and multiple states advanced data center guardrails in response to local concerns about water, energy, and noise impacts.
Peter Clark, in a Telegraph Herald column, argues against U.S. data center moratoriums and points to thermal cooling and solar power to address water and electricity impacts.
Denver and other U.S. cities approved moratoriums on new data centers after public hearings raised concerns about electricity costs and environmental harms.
In multiple U.S. states, local hearings and new legislation are changing data center approvals and incentives due to water and energy concerns amid rapid buildout.
Monterey Park voted 86 percent to ban new data center development as U.S. municipalities expand moratoriums over water and electricity impacts.
New York and Maine actions, plus expanding US protests, reflect growing permitting scrutiny of large data center construction driven by power, water, and community concerns.
Residents, local boards, and state lawmakers in Illinois and Missouri in 2020s are tightening data center rules, citing water and energy impacts and changing incentive policies.
FERC issued June 18, 2026 show-cause orders while multiple U.S. jurisdictions adopted AI data center moratoriums affecting grid-connected development approvals.
South Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and New York consider temporary hyperscale data center moratoria while North Carolina localities move on regulations and bans.
Lodi, California city council proposed a moratorium on data center facilities after community concerns and anticipated transmission-congestion studies.
Panama City Beach officials advanced a land development code update to ban data centers, citing power and aquifer water-use risks, at a city council motion.
Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter and local speakers rallied in Clark County, Nevada on July 8, 2026 to demand a moratorium on new data center approvals despite no commissioner action.
Greenfield, Massachusetts officials plan a City Council ordinance for a one-year data center moratorium after Planning Board feedback on zoning amendment procedures.
Perris City Council voted on June 9, 2026 to draft a citywide ordinance banning data centers after public testimony centered on water and energy impacts.
Eagan, Minnesota and Eagan Capital dispute a February one-year data center moratorium, with the company seeking $50,000 in damages.
Paul Bettencourt challenged San Marcos, Texas after the city banned data centers in June, citing House Bill 2559 and the 2023 Death Star Law.
Edgewater City Council in Florida will consider placing a November ballot measure banning data centers in city limits, following Florida Senate Bill 484.
Alliant Energy expansion approval for the Marshalltown Generating Station coincides with Marshalltown and Marshall County meetings debating data center approvals.
Bipartisan Michigan House bills HB 5594-5596 would pause new data center construction until April 2027, citing community opposition and power and water concerns.
Supreme Court Sackett v. EPA decision narrows Clean Water Act wetland jurisdiction, allowing some data center projects in Texas, Utah, and West Virginia to advance with fewer federal permits.
New York lawmakers approved a one-year hyperscale data center moratorium pending Governor Kathy Hochul, as multiple states and cities move toward bans amid power and water concerns.
Cedar Rapids and Linn County approved a data center moratorium after a two to one vote as FERC issued grid-connection rule reform orders affecting data center interconnections.
PwC and E3 studies assess data-center economic contributions and household electricity bill impacts as Google uses a power agreement with OG&E in Pryor, Oklahoma.
Lancium partners with QTS and Crusoe on Texas gigawatt MegaCampuses while CleanSpark signs a 175 MW lease and investors monitor data-center exits.
Ahead of the 2026 elections, gubernatorial candidates in multiple US states proposed data center construction moratoriums, citing electricity, water and community impacts, with New York enacting a one-year pause.
Senator Katie Muth urged Pennsylvania residents on July 11, 2026 to support Senate Bill 1359, a three-year moratorium on new hyperscale data centers.
New York implemented a data-center moratorium while Georgia Power expands grid capacity via eminent domain, and the discussion highlights power, water, and community mitigation alternatives.
Unions including IBEW urge opposition to data center moratoriums as New York’s one-year ban and other states consider labor-conditioned approvals and incentives.
Senators Bernie Sanders and Tom Cotton propose federal approaches to data center construction as public backlash grows and state moratoriums respond to electricity price concerns in the United States.
Matthew Johnson of the Tug Hill Commission and Jim Damicis of Camoin Associates discussed data center moratoria and zoning controls for New York communities on a public webinar.
New Mexico Democratic lawmakers plan a 2027 statewide moratorium on new large-scale data centers pending water and electricity impact assessments, amid local project backlash.
Sen. Katie Muth proposed legislation in Pennsylvania to restrict data center classification and impose a three-year development pause amid local opposition.
Arthur Herman assessed U.S. data center moratorium actions after New York imposed a new construction ban and other states considered similar steps.