US Local Governments Implement Data Center Moratoriums Over Resource Concerns

Local governments across the United States are increasingly implementing temporary moratoriums on data center development to assess impacts on water, energy, and infrastructure. In Montana, the Missoula County Commission unanimously approved a one-year freeze on development and expansion to study risks to air and water quality and low-frequency noise. This action follows a trend in the state where residents in other counties are pursuing ballot initiatives for voter approval of such facilities.

Similar actions are unfolding in Florida and Indiana. The DeSoto County Planning Commission recommended a two-year moratorium affecting an AI project by DCIP Group, while Santa Rosa County officials voiced support for a one-year pause to protect groundwater. In Indianapolis, City-County Council President Maggie Lewis announced a proposed moratorium for Marion County, though some council members expressed concerns over the lack of specific language in the amendment.

Further restrictions are emerging in other states. The Frederick County Board of Supervisors in Virginia directed staff to remove data centers as a permitted use in all zoning districts. In Georgia, the Walker County Board of Commissioners passed a 30-day moratorium, and in Kentucky, Jessamine County and the city of Nicholasville are weighing similar pauses. These regional efforts reflect broader community anxiety, seen in Ohio where the W.A.T.E.R. group filed a petition to limit data center size, and in Pennsylvania where advocates are pushing for legislation to ensure data centers develop their own clean energy sources.