Local Governments Impose Data Center Moratoriums in Wisconsin and Arkansas

Local governments in two different states are restricting the development of data centers to address zoning and resource concerns. In Milwaukee, the Common Council unanimously enacted a temporary moratorium on new data centers in September. Data Holdings, a tribal-owned enterprise of the Forest County Potawatomi Community, is currently seeking to expand its 46,000-square-foot facility in the Concordia neighborhood onto an adjacent vacant lot. The company is negotiating with city officials to determine if the moratorium applies to its project, arguing that the expansion is modest and maintains sustainability standards, such as a closed-loop cooling system that uses no water.

Simultaneously, the Washington County County Services Committee in Arkansas approved a proposal for a yearlong moratorium on data centers. The measure now awaits a formal vote by the Washington County Quorum Court on November 19. Supporters of the pause, including Justice of the Peace Evelyn Rios Stafford, state the measure is necessary to review planning and zoning rules. This action follows resident concerns regarding noise levels, utility costs, and the impact of such facilities on local electricity and water usage. Rios Stafford noted that there are currently no active plans to build data centers within the county.