US Counties Enact Data Center Moratoriums Amid Local Opposition

Local governments across the United States are enacting moratoriums on data center and cable landing station development to evaluate economic and environmental impacts. In Maryland, the Worcester County Commissioners passed Resolution No. 26-18 on July 21, 2026, halting all permits and zoning appeals for 12 months to develop comprehensive regulations. This follows local opposition to a proposed Globalinx cable landing station in Berlin.

Similar freezes were approved in late July 2026 in Kentucky and Georgia. The Logan County Fiscal Court approved a 12-month moratorium on July 29 to research water resource protection, while the Paulding County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a temporary freeze effective until January 1, 2027, to update development codes following community concerns over noise and power grid spikes.

Grassroots opposition is also intensifying in other regions. In Marshalltown, Iowa, resident Angie Diaz launched a petition demanding transparency and citing concerns over cancer rates and water quality. In Pennsylvania, organizations such as Voice of Westmoreland and Protect PT are educating residents in Westmoreland County, where several municipalities requested moratoriums in May. In Upper Burrell, construction remains restricted to a single Techfusion facility until a formal ordinance is passed.