Lawmakers Propose Data Center Moratoriums Across United States

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders has proposed a nationwide moratorium on new data center construction, arguing that democratic processes must adapt to the digital economy. This federal initiative mirrors a growing trend of local government interventions in North Carolina and Oklahoma to manage the rapid expansion of digital infrastructure.

In North Carolina, the town of Apex voted to draft a one-year moratorium following the withdrawal of the New Hill Digital Campus project, while Chatham County approved a similar permitting pause. In Oklahoma, the Tulsa City Council is debating a six-month to one-year moratorium to review zoning and infrastructure capacity, coinciding with the construction of the 800 million dollar Project Anthem. To mitigate local impacts, the Oklahoma House of Representatives is considering House Bill 2992, which would prevent power companies from passing data center infrastructure costs to residential customers.

These measures face mixed reactions. Local officials in Tulsa and Apex emphasize the need for updated zoning codes and community engagement. Conversely, some regions continue to expand; Muskogee County recently approved two additional Google data centers. Industry critics warn that such pauses could cause economic chain reactions and jeopardize U.S. leadership in the sector against global competitors like China.