US Local and State Leaders Impose Data Center Moratoriums

Local governments across the United States are implementing freezes on data center development to evaluate infrastructure impacts. The Tulare County Board of Supervisors in California extended a moratorium on new facilities until August 2027 and voted 3-2 to formally oppose such development. Similarly, the Janesville City Council in Wisconsin unanimously approved a 12-month moratorium on all rezoning, permits, and annexation applications for data centers. Council Member Josh Erdman ensured the Janesville pause applied citywide rather than focusing on a single site.

In Indiana, the Evansville City Council held a first reading for a proposed 180-day moratorium following a recommendation from the Evansville Area Plan Commission. These local actions are driven by resident and advocacy group concerns regarding air quality, electrical grid stability, and public safety.

Legislative efforts are also emerging at the state and federal levels. In West Virginia, congressional candidate Ace Parsi proposed the Neighbors, Not Servers Act, which seeks a two-year federal moratorium on facilities using 20 megawatts or more of power. In Ohio, gubernatorial candidates are debating regulations; Democrat Amy Acton called for a conditional moratorium and union labor requirements, while Republican Vivek Ramaswamy proposed that developers provide free electricity to nearby families and pay full property taxes.