US Municipalities Implement Bans and Restrictions on Data Centers

Municipalities across the United States are implementing regulatory barriers to data center development, citing concerns over water scarcity, power grid strain, and noise pollution. In Alabama, the Cullman City Planning Commission is considering a permanent ban on these facilities, while the Kalamazoo City Commission in Michigan is weighing a moratorium on data centers and cryptocurrency mining to update zoning laws.

In California, the Tulare County Board of Supervisors is considering a 45-day urgency moratorium, and the Visalia City Council is evaluating a similar ban. These moves follow protests by the Dolores Huerta Foundation and Power California against a proposal by Global Stack. Similarly, residents in Lowndes County, Georgia, are demanding a six-month pause on development following the rezoning of 719 acres.

Other regions are opting for stricter zoning rather than outright bans. The Minot Planning Commission in North Dakota now limits data centers to a specific industrial area, and the Independence City Council in Missouri is considering buffers to keep hyperscale centers 500 feet from residential sites. In Georgia, the Wayne County Board of Commissioners proposed nine amendments, including requirements for decommissioning funds and groundwater protection liners.

At the state level, Jonathan Shell, the Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner, is proposing legislation to mandate ownership disclosure and negative impact statements. He argued for the necessity of American-owned facilities for national security and expressed concern over the loss of prime farmland. In Nebraska, Lincoln County commissioners are revising zoning regulations but rejected a moratorium, stating their existing land plan is sufficient.