114 reports from the daily update that mention a moratorium, pause or ban, newest first within each state.
Ohio 11 reports · Ohio page
Supports the case against September 30, 2026
Warren County commissioners unanimously approved a six month moratorium on hyperscale data centers, defined as facilities 10,000 square feet or larger, while the Ohio EPA and the Ohio Kentucky Indiana Regional Council of Governments complete a water impact study expected in November. Commissioner Tom Grossmann said he wanted more study of size and location rather than an outright ban.
Check it: The moratorium only covers county controlled areas; townships such as Clearcreek and Hamilton already have longer pauses and Lebanon, Deerfield Township, and Mason already host small data centers.
Supports the case against September 23, 2026
Democratic candidate for Ohio governor Amy Acton urged lawmakers meeting in a special session to take up data centers, arguing they are driving residential electricity bills higher and require statewide restrictions. Republican leaders dismissed the proposal and pointed to existing regulatory processes. Every Ohio gubernatorial candidate has now proposed some form of data center pause or condition; the state has more than 125 active local moratoriums.
Check it: Whether the Ohio legislature actually places data centers on its special session agenda or defers the issue.
Supports the case against September 22, 2026
Fayette County commissioners in Ohio approved a data center moratorium running through June 1, 2027 covering seven unincorporated townships, after a commissioner reversed his opposition in response to public comment. Jefferson, Wayne and Union townships are excluded because they maintain independent zoning codes.
Check it: Commissioners retain authority to modify, rescind or extend the pause before its expiration and townships with their own zoning are unaffected.
Cited by both sides September 22, 2026
The Ohio Capital Journal reports that a House proposal to cut Ohio's sales tax exemption for new data centers from 100 percent to 50 percent has not advanced despite support from the House speaker, even as multiple legislative and statewide candidates have made data center regulation a campaign issue. Local moratoriums have continued to spread across Ohio in the absence of state action.
Check it: The exemption remains at 100 percent unless the General Assembly acts. Existing project agreements would be governed by their signed terms even if statute changes.
Supports the case against September 18, 2026
Ohio Capital Journal counted 138 local moratoriums and 23 outright bans across the state as of September 17, concentrated in Logan, Union and Champaign counties. A Bowling Green State University poll of 1,000 likely voters released September 16 found 78 percent support pausing new data centers pending more information, and 47 percent say a candidate's stance is very or extremely important. Industry backers point to Ohio's operating fleet and pipeline, and opponents cite grid, tax and water concerns.
Check it: Compare the OCJ tally to the BGSU sample and margin of error, and check whether the counted moratoriums include expired or non-binding measures.
Supports the case against September 17, 2026
Columbus City Council took first reading of an ordinance directing the city's water and power utility to design a new rate class for high-volume users like data centers, with recommendations due by October 26. Second reading is scheduled for September 28, and if adopted the framework would require large-load users to pay for the infrastructure their demand triggers rather than shifting it to residential and small business ratepayers.
Check it: The ordinance does not itself set a new rate; it authorizes the utility to propose one, which then would need council approval.
Cited by both sides September 16, 2026
Financial disclosure filings show Republican Vivek Ramaswamy holds more than a dozen positions in companies tied to data centers while pledging on day one to require new facilities to generate their own power and pay for local electricity offsets. Democrat Amy Acton holds Microsoft and Iron Mountain stock and supports a conditional moratorium unless cost, labor, transparency and community benefit conditions are met. Libertarian Don Kissick, who opposes new data centers outright, reports no related holdings.
Check it: Passive index funds can appear as data center exposure on disclosures without direct control; check whether holdings are individual stocks or mutual funds.
Supports the case against September 15, 2026
State-level analysis cited by regional news estimates Ohio's existing data center sales tax exemption has cost the state more than $2 billion in forgone revenue, prompting Governor Mike DeWine's executive pause on new incentives while a replacement policy is developed. Scioto Analysis is expected to release a cost-benefit study of Ohio data center projects this fall.
Check it: Forgone-revenue estimates depend on assumptions about whether the projects would have located in Ohio without the exemption; the DeWine pause is administrative, not a legislative repeal.
Supports the case against September 15, 2026
Lima City Council approved an 18-month moratorium on new data center construction and on new city water requests from outside municipalities, so that staff can study siting, water and power standards. Mayor Sharetta Smith cited Ohio's rapid data center growth. The moratorium does not affect the existing water agreement for a Google data center under development in American Township.
Check it: Whether the pause covers new applications only or freezes projects already in the pipeline, and how the Google American Township carve-out is worded.
Supports the case against September 14, 2026
Pioneer village council voted 6-0 to impose a six-month moratorium on data center approvals after a developer approached the planning commission the prior week. The measure blocks the council from acting on any proposed data center during the pause but does not permanently prohibit them and can be shortened by later council action.
Check it: Whether the developer that prompted the pause has publicly named a site or capacity, and whether the six-month clock could be extended.
Supports the case against September 1, 2026
The Miamisburg City Council voted 6-0 to impose a nine-month moratorium on new data center development after concerns about a possible project at the former DP&L Hutchings Power Station site. The city says the pause will allow it to draft development standards.
Check it: Verify whether the moratorium covers previously submitted applications and confirm the exact expiration date.
California 9 reports · California page
Supports the case against October 8, 2026
At the October 8 meeting, Supervisors Jesus Eduardo Escobar and Martha Cardenas Singh said they would support a voter ballot measure allowing residents to ban data centers in unincorporated areas. District 4 Supervisor Ryan E. Kelley objected on cost grounds, estimating the measure at roughly half a million dollars. The county already has a temporary data center moratorium in place.
Check it: No ballot measure has been scheduled yet; the board must still vote to place it on a ballot.
Supports the case against October 7, 2026
Oakland's City Council voted 7 to 0 to pause approval of new data center projects for 45 days, with authority to extend. The author, Councilmember Carroll Fife, said the pause is meant to give city staff time to study water, energy and health impacts before any applications proceed. Oakland becomes the fifth Bay Area city to adopt such a pause.
Check it: A 45 day pause is short; whether it is extended into a real moratorium is the real question.
Supports the case against October 7, 2026
Mendocino County supervisors voted 4 to 1 to extend their new data center ban until August 21, 2028, the longest allowed under California law, while exempting facilities drawing less than 3 megawatts. The dissenting supervisor said the 3 megawatt threshold was negotiated at lunch and was not fully developed. An ad hoc committee will study permanent rules.
Check it: The exemption below 3 megawatts allows smaller sites during the ban; the long duration is paired with that carve out.
Supports the case against September 30, 2026
The Palm Springs City Council unanimously extended a temporary moratorium on new data center applications and permits for an additional 22 months and 15 days, through August 25, 2028. Planning Director Chris Hadwin said the city's zoning code does not define data centers or set noise, water, or utility thresholds and the pause gives staff time to draft standards.
Check it: Palm Springs has no pending data center application; the extension is to write zoning rules before any proposal arrives.
Supports the case against September 23, 2026
The Tulare County Board of Supervisors voted 5 to 0 on September 22 to extend the August moratorium on data center construction in unincorporated areas by ten months and fifteen days. A separate 3 to 2 vote adopted a board position opposing new data centers in the county except for enterprise facilities.
Check it: The board position opposing new projects is not a binding ordinance; the moratorium is the enforceable action.
Supports the case against September 23, 2026
Oakland's Life Enrichment Committee approved a 45 day emergency moratorium on new data center land use approvals introduced by Councilmember Carroll Fife on September 11, sending it to the full City Council for an October 6 vote. Supporters want time to write environmental, operational and public safety rules; the city has already been debating one active data center application in Bayview.
Check it: Whether the full council adopts the emergency ordinance on October 6 and whether current applications are covered.
Supports the case against September 22, 2026
The Tulare County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to extend the county's data-center moratorium in unincorporated areas by 10 months and 15 days, and in a separate 3-2 vote adopted a policy position opposing most data-center development, including projects outside county jurisdiction. The opposition resolution carves out enterprise data centers built by a single company for its own use.
Check it: The 3-2 opposition vote is a policy stance, not a ban, and the enterprise carve-out is significant. Check whether the county actually sends opposition letters on specific pending projects.
Supports the case against September 15, 2026
Supervisor Shamann Walton, joined by Connie Chan, Chyanne Chen and Jackie Fielder, introduced a 45-day urgency ordinance to freeze new data center approvals, with an eye toward a permanent citywide ban. Under state law the interim ordinance needs a four-fifths vote and can be extended to nearly two years if the planning commission finds a public-welfare threat. The proposal follows expansion plans at NOVVA's 400 Paul Avenue project in Bayview.
Check it: Whether the four-fifths supermajority is secured for the interim ordinance and how the moratorium treats projects that already have entitlements.
Supports the case against September 15, 2026
The Hayward City Council took up a legislative referral from Mayor Mark Salinas and two colleagues directing staff to begin amending the zoning code to prohibit new data centers, following pushback against an approved 76.6-megawatt facility with 28 diesel backup generators. Hayward had already amended its code in April 2026 to require major conditional use permits for such projects.
Check it: Whether the referral produces an actual ordinance and how it treats data centers that already hold permits, including the 76.6 MW project.
Indiana 9 reports · Indiana page
Neutral October 9, 2026
The city announced that planning and consulting firm MKSK will lead a new committee set up to study data centers and propose regulations for future projects. The committee was created under a Marion County moratorium that pauses new data centers through the end of 2027.
Check it: A consulting contract and committee do not themselves set rules; watch what regulations the committee actually proposes before Marion County's moratorium expires.
Supports the case for October 6, 2026
The American Infrastructure Alliance, a coalition that includes OpenAI, QTS, SoftBank, Blackstone and seven unions, began its first state campaign in Indiana calling for statewide standards on noise, setbacks and ratepayer protection and against the growing list of local moratoria. The group commissioned an August poll showing roughly two thirds of Indiana residents hold negative views of data centers, with support for new facilities rising from 19 percent to 44 percent when the alliance's proposed guardrails are described. The alliance plans to extend the campaign to six other states.
Check it: The polling was commissioned and paid for by the alliance itself, which represents data center developers and the unions that build them, so treat the shift from 19 to 44 percent as advocacy funded.
Supports the case against October 6, 2026
The Evansville City Council voted Monday evening to institute a 180 day pause on new data center applications within city limits while it studies impacts and considers zoning amendments. The city ordinance mirrors a Vanderburgh County measure adopted earlier this year. More than 20 Indiana cities and counties, including Indianapolis, now have some form of pause or ban.
Check it: The pause is 180 days and does not apply retroactively to projects already in the pipeline; whether it leads to permanent rules depends on what the council does next.
Neutral September 23, 2026
Fort Wayne City Council postponed action on Councilwoman Rohli Booker's ordinances that would establish a moratorium and a study task force on future data centers, sending the matter back to committee until mid October. The proposal, if adopted, would not affect the Google data center already under construction on Adams Center Road.
Check it: The vote is only delayed, not decided; the postponement resulted from procedural amendments to the underlying ordinance.
Supports the case against September 23, 2026
The Fort Wayne City Council delayed a vote on a proposed one year data center moratorium by three weeks after more than an hour of debate over amendments. Councilwoman Rohli Booker's proposal would pause approval of new projects while the planning department drafts zoning, environmental and safety recommendations, and would not affect Google's existing Fort Wayne project. The matter returns in mid October.
Check it: Whether the moratorium passes in October and what if any exemptions the final version contains.
Supports the case against September 18, 2026
Fort Wayne City Council is weighing a 365-day moratorium on city actions that could support new data center development, including annexations, property purchases, contracts and tax abatements. The Google data center already under construction in southeast Fort Wayne is carved out and would not be affected.
Check it: The measures were introduced but have not been voted on; the exemption for Google's project means the immediate blast radius of the pause is on future proposals.
Supports the case against September 16, 2026
Mayor James Mueller signed an executive order barring city employees and appointees from signing nondisclosure agreements about data center projects after council members learned two department heads had signed NDAs with Amazon. Mueller says the order takes effect immediately and future agreements must state they are public records. Council members separately introduced an NDA-ban ordinance for first reading September 28, which Mueller said he would veto as exceeding council authority.
Check it: Read the executive order text to see which contracts it covers and whether it applies retroactively.
Cited by both sides September 16, 2026
The Indianapolis MDC unanimously voted 6-0 for a data center moratorium through no later than December 31, 2027, while separately approving a ten-year real property tax abatement and fifteen-year personal property tax abatement for what officials called the largest private capital investment in city history. The abatement covers a project vested before the moratorium.
Check it: The moratorium applies to new applications; the $240M abatement is for a project already in the pipeline, illustrating how grandfathered items proceed.
Supports the case against September 9, 2026
Councilwoman Rohli Booker introduced two measures on September 8: a one-year moratorium on new data center construction that would exempt the existing Google site, and creation of a nine-member Community Infrastructure and Environmental Review Commission to study large developments. A rival task-force proposal was withdrawn in favor of Booker's package.
Check it: Confirm whether the ordinances passed on first reading and what the council's next hearing date is.
North Carolina 9 reports · North Carolina page
Cited by both sides October 12, 2026
At an October 12 hearing, Charlotte residents urged the council to extend the current moratorium through October 2027, while labor union speakers asked the council to let it expire November 5 so union construction work can proceed. The council is expected to vote on the extension on October 26.
Check it: The current pause expires November 5; the October 26 vote decides whether it is extended, so the headline reflects public comments, not a final decision.
Supports the case against October 7, 2026
Raleigh's council voted 7 to 1 to pause approvals of new large data centers for six months. The pause applies to proposed sites over 10,000 square feet or 5 megawatts and gives staff time to draft permanent rules, with a council vote on new regulations scheduled for April 6, 2027. Some residents pushed for a longer pause of up to 32 months.
Check it: A moratorium pauses applications but does not block projects already in review.
Supports the case against October 7, 2026
The Raleigh City Council voted 7 to 1 to pause applications for data centers that exceed 10,000 square feet and 5 megawatts of electricity. The moratorium runs through April 6, 2027 while staff draft permanent rules. Several speakers at the public hearing asked for a 32 month pause instead.
Check it: The pause covers new applications only. Confirm whether any Raleigh projects already filed before October 7 are grandfathered in.
Supports the case for October 6, 2026
The Lee County Board of Commissioners voted down a proposed 180 day moratorium on new data center applications that would not have blocked the already approved Lower Moncure Road project. Nearly 2,500 residents had signed a petition supporting a pause over power, water, noise and transparency concerns. The majority said additional projects should proceed under current rules.
Check it: The moratorium would not have changed the Lower Moncure Road project either way; it would have blocked only future applications, so this vote mostly settles the forward look, not the current controversy.
Supports the case against October 5, 2026
Beaufort County commissioners voted 6-1 to bar the county from accepting, processing or approving any data center applications for one year. The county has no proposed data center; residents asked for the pause so officials can draft rules before a project arrives.
Check it: The moratorium was pre-emptive, not aimed at a specific project, so its practical effect is uncertain until one is proposed.
Supports the case for October 1, 2026
Forsyth County commissioners voted 5 to 2 on October 1 to reject a proposed temporary pause on new data center development. The county attorney warned the board that a Chatham County developer had successfully challenged a similar pause and said the county should set aside contingency funds for litigation if it chose to proceed. Commissioners Dan Besse, who drafted the proposal, and Tonya McDaniel voted yes.
Check it: The vote was procedural about legal exposure, not an endorsement of any specific project, and the county is still studying its regulatory options.
Supports the case against October 1, 2026
The Charlotte City Council scheduled a public hearing for October 12 on whether to extend its citywide data center moratorium for 11 months, which would push the pause through October 11, 2027. The current 150 day moratorium approved in June expires November 5. A 19 member community task force recommended the extension after reviewing water, energy, planning and zoning concerns.
Check it: The extension still needs a council vote on or after October 12, and the moratorium applies to new standalone projects, not existing facilities.
Cited by both sides September 29, 2026
After previously deadlocking 3 to 3 on a moratorium, the Davidson County Board of Commissioners voted 4 to 2 to place a four month moratorium on hyperscale data centers back on the October 26 agenda. Chair Karen Watford opposed, saying a pause would send a bad signal to business. Commissioner Tripp Kester said residents and the board need more time to study the issue.
Check it: The agenda vote only reopens the question; the four month moratorium itself still needs a majority on October 26.
Supports the case against September 15, 2026
County planning staff presented a draft ordinance requiring 500 foot setbacks, 15 foot landscape buffers, 60 decibel noise caps at the property line and a ban on nuclear power for on-site generation. The Joint Planning Board will take up the draft again October 20 before commissioners consider it in November or December, and staff told the board most public input has opposed data centers in the county.
Check it: Compare the 60 decibel property line cap to actual measured levels from other data center campuses to judge whether it forces cooling design changes.
Virginia 7 reports · Virginia page
Supports the case for October 8, 2026
A proposal by Supervisors Juli Briskman and Laura TeKrony that would have audited roughly 15 approved data center and substation projects and could have stripped grandfathering protections stalled after little support beyond the sponsors. The county attorney warned the move could trigger about $60 million in litigation claims. The board also tabled an outside auditor motion for a later meeting; the separate 12 month pause on new applications is still scheduled for October 20.
Check it: A tabled motion is not a defeated one; both motions can be reintroduced, and the broader 12 month pause is still on the October 20 agenda.
Supports the case against October 1, 2026
An advocacy roundup says the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors was scheduled to hear staff on October 6 about rescinding the 2025 resolution that grandfathered pending data center applications under old rules, with a formal vote on the 12-month data center application pause set for October 20. The pause was advanced 7-1-1 on September 16.
Check it: This is an advocacy group's agenda summary; the October 6 hearing was procedural, and the binding vote is October 20, when carve-outs may still change.
Cited by both sides September 18, 2026
Governor Abigail Spanberger signed Executive Order 22 launching a Data Center Accountability Framework that bans state agency nondisclosure agreements with data center operators, removes large facilities from fast-track permitting, and calls for legislation ending by-right approval for projects using more than 25 megawatts. Industry groups have not endorsed the framework, and Senate President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas said it still leaves in place the state sales tax exemption that industry critics say costs Virginia about 2 billion dollars.
Check it: The executive order applies to state agencies, not local officials, and by-right approval and tax exemption changes still require action from the General Assembly.
Supports the case against September 18, 2026
Coverage details Virginia's new framework, including a proposed 25 megawatt threshold for mandatory local approval, expedited noise regulations, water use standards, limits on on-site gas generation, and priority grid access for facilities using clean backup power. Clean Virginia called the order a meaningful step but urged a development pause, while the Piedmont Environmental Council said the plan does not address the immediacy of the issue.
Check it: Most of the substantive limits require legislation or new agency rules; noise rules are not scheduled to be finalized until 2029.
Supports the case against September 16, 2026
Loudoun County's Board of Supervisors voted 7-1-1 to direct staff to draft a resolution pausing new legislative applications for data centers and substations for up to 12 months while the county rewrites its rules. A final vote on the draft is slated for Oct. 20, with a retroactive effective date of Sept. 15 if adopted.
Check it: This is a step toward a resolution, not a final ban; the pause applies only to new applications and the county attorney has said any pause must be time-limited.
Supports the case against September 16, 2026
The Board directed staff to draft a resolution establishing a temporary pause of up to twelve months on legislative applications for data centers and substations, effective immediately, with a formal adoption vote scheduled for October 2. The pause applies only to items that need a board vote and does not touch administrative approvals, and the county attorney said an indefinite moratorium would not be legal. Supporters say the county needs time to update standards; industry groups warn about signaling risk to investment.
Check it: The pause is not yet final; the formal resolution vote is scheduled for October 2, 2026, and by-right and administrative projects are not included.
Supports the case against September 15, 2026
In a 7-1-1 vote, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors directed staff to draft a resolution pausing new data center applications for up to 12 months while it develops new rules. Board Chair Phyllis Randall framed the pause as temporary; the county attorney said an indefinite moratorium would likely be illegal. A final vote is expected in October.
Check it: Whether the final October vote adopts the 12-month pause, whether by-right grandfathering is preserved, and how many pending applications would be captured.
Kentucky 6 reports · Kentucky page
Supports the case against October 12, 2026
The Lantern summarized recent Kentucky activity: Lexington extended its data center construction pause, Mercer County rejected regulations that would have allowed a hyperscale site next to a coal plant, and the Carroll County ethics commission opened an investigation into council votes connected to a proposed 9.6 billion dollar campus near Carrollton. A state lawmaker said he is preparing data center legislation for the next session.
Check it: Each item has its own status; the ethics investigation is a procedural step and does not establish wrongdoing by any official.
Supports the case against October 6, 2026
After a crowded public hearing, Lexington's Urban County Council sent proposed data center zoning rules back to the planning commission and moved to extend an existing moratorium through October 2027. Members favored a dedicated data center zoning category and new size and power caps. The current pause had been set to expire October 31.
Check it: The extension and the new zoning category have not yet taken final effect. Watch what the planning commission actually recommends and whether the council keeps the size caps intact.
Cited by both sides October 4, 2026
The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council scheduled a special meeting on October 6 to take public comment on draft rules that would ban major data centers larger than 50,000 square feet across the county, cap minor facilities at 40,000 square feet and 25 megawatts, require 1,500 foot setbacks and limit noise to 30 decibels at property lines. The current moratorium expires October 31.
Check it: This is a public hearing, not a final vote. Any ordinance would still need two readings before adoption and could be amended in response to industry or resident comments.
Supports the case against September 30, 2026
The Mercer County Fiscal Court voted unanimously on September 30 against a proposed industrial technology district that would have allowed hyperscale data centers on farmland next to the E.W. Brown coal fired generating station. Officials cited concerns about effects on Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, a National Historic Landmark less than a mile from the proposed district, as well as horse farms and residential neighborhoods. The regulations were sent back to the planning commission and the countywide one year moratorium remains in place.
Check it: The vote blocked the zoning text, not a specific project, and the proposed developer may seek annexation into the nearby city of Burgin as an alternate path.
Supports the case against September 30, 2026
The Georgetown City Council voted unanimously to have the city attorney draft an ordinance banning data centers and defining what counts as a hyperscale facility. Councilmember Karen Tingle-Sames said the city lacks water, land, and infrastructure for one. Mayor Burney Jenkins said the aim is to target mega facilities without affecting smaller operations and to prepare for possible legal challenges. Any ban would also need Planning and Zoning Commission approval.
Check it: Scott County already has a county moratorium in place; the Georgetown ordinance is still in drafting and must also clear the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Supports the case against September 25, 2026
The Scott County Fiscal Court voted Thursday to extend a pause on data center applications through March 2027 while the Georgetown-Scott County Planning Commission drafts permanent siting rules covering water use, power draw, and noise. Judge-Executive Joe Covington said the extension is meant to buy time for research rather than pursue an outright ban, and the draft under discussion would confine data centers to heavy industrial zones and require conditional use permits.
Check it: A moratorium is a pause on new applications, not a permanent ban, and existing projects are unaffected.
Maryland 6 reports · Maryland page
Cited by both sides October 12, 2026
Quantum Maryland filed suit against Frederick County on October 12, alleging the county executive paused new data center applications for political reasons tied to the election. County Executive Jessica Fitzwater denied the claim and called the suit intimidation; a separate 110 million dollar community benefits agreement for the Frederick Digital Campus remains in place.
Check it: Watch for the complaint itself and the county's answer, since a lawsuit allegation is not a finding and the moratorium's legal status will turn on the court record.
Cited by both sides October 10, 2026
Quantum Maryland LLC, managed by Catellus Maryland, filed a 67 page complaint in Frederick County Circuit Court asking the court to overturn the county's moratorium on new data center applications through July 2027 and to allow its applications to proceed. The suit names County Executive Jessica Fitzwater and the planning commission and alleges the pause was driven by election politics and derailed a $500 million land transaction. Fitzwater posted on Facebook that she will fight the lawsuit and called the developer's claims false.
Check it: This is one side of a civil complaint; the county has not yet responded in court and the moratorium remains in effect for now.
Supports the case against October 5, 2026
The Anne Arundel County Council passed Bill 63-26, a 15 month pause on new data center development that runs until January 31, 2028 or until the county adopts permanent rules. Projects already in development are exempt. An amendment to carve out national defense projects failed, over objections from backers of nearby Fort George G. Meade.
Check it: The exemption language matters. Confirm which projects are considered already in development before assuming any specific site is covered or blocked.
Cited by both sides September 29, 2026
Real estate professionals told the Daily Record they still expect data center growth in Maryland after Gov. Wes Moore's September executive order, which sets uniform review standards, creates a task force and adds a tracking dashboard. More than half of Maryland's counties already have some form of data center moratorium.
Check it: Moore's order is a framework, not new statute; specifics of environmental and ratepayer requirements will be set by task force recommendations.
Supports the case against September 22, 2026
The Baltimore County Council voted unanimously to extend its data center moratorium from the end of 2026 through at least December 2027. Council members said the industry has not answered questions about environmental and energy impacts while the county studies whether to restrict data centers to specific areas. Industry representatives have argued the county is delaying investment that could support tax revenue.
Check it: Whether county studies produce specific zoning rules before the new deadline and whether the vote is final.
Supports the case against September 21, 2026
The county council was scheduled to vote September 21 to extend the existing data center moratorium, currently expiring January 1, through December 2027. Councilman David Marks said the extension gives the public more time to weigh in on land use, tax and water concerns. The Planning Board approved its own data center report with 20 amendments on September 17.
Check it: Verify the final vote result and whether the extended moratorium contains carve-outs for pending applications.
Minnesota 5 reports · Minnesota page
Supports the case against September 23, 2026
The Woodbury City Council approved a moratorium on new data center permits, rezoning requests and conditional use permits for up to one year while staff studies water, power, noise and zoning. Staff said no data center applications or informal proposals are pending in the city.
Check it: Preemptive moratorium with no active proposal; verify whether it applies to expansions of existing IT loads.
Supports the case against September 22, 2026
The North Mankato City Council unanimously passed a 12 month moratorium on new data centers after a public hearing where all four resident speakers supported the pause. During the moratorium the city will study large scale facilities, defined as those over 250,000 square feet or using at least 50,000 gallons of water a day, and the council can extend the pause by another year.
Check it: The moratorium is an interim ordinance and does not preclude the city from adopting different rules once its study is complete.
Supports the case against September 19, 2026
Woodbury's city council is scheduled to consider a proposed interim ordinance on September 23 that could pause new data center applications for up to a year while the city develops zoning rules. The draft would block building permits, rezonings and conditional use permits for covered projects. City staff cite growing developer interest and the absence of specific data center rules in current zoning.
Check it: Confirm the outcome of the September 23 vote and the length of the moratorium adopted.
Supports the case against September 19, 2026
Woodbury officials have released a draft interim ordinance that would pause new data center applications, building permits, rezonings and comprehensive plan changes for up to a year while staff draft permanent rules. City staff cite growing developer interest tied to AI and cloud expansion, while some council members say a pause could deter investment.
Check it: The measure is only a draft going to the September 23 council meeting. It has not yet been adopted and would still allow projects already in the pipeline.
Cited by both sides September 17, 2026
In Pine Island, a town of 4,000 outside Rochester, at least three first-time candidates for mayor and city council are running because they oppose a proposed Google data center on roughly 88 acres that could later expand to more than 400 acres. Construction is currently paused pending an environmental review lawsuit; supporters cite promises of about 100 permanent jobs, 500 construction jobs and $131 million in projected property tax revenue.
Check it: The job and revenue figures are the developer's forecast; check any independent fiscal analysis or the environmental review that halted construction.
National and multi-state 5 reports
Supports the case against October 9, 2026
Blackstone's Digital Infrastructure Trust, a REIT listed in May at $20 a share, closed under $17 on October 8, roughly 16 percent below its debut, as banks try to offload parts of a $38 billion construction debt package tied to Texas and Wisconsin data centers leased to Oracle. The piece highlights state moratoria, rising interest rates and liquidity caps on private REITs as risks for retail investors. Industry defenders argue the long term leases and tenant quality still support the asset class.
Check it: A share price decline over a few months is not the same as a credit event; check who holds the long term lease and the parent guarantees before assuming projects will fail.
Cited by both sides September 30, 2026
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission accepted but suspended PJM Interconnection's plan to procure 6,831 MW of backstop capacity to meet a shortfall driven largely by data center demand, finding that cost allocation, exit rules, and collateral terms may be unjust and unreasonable. PJM pulled the September 30 auction and FERC set a new effective date of February 28, 2027. Industry groups said the pause raises reliability concerns; FERC chair Mark Christie called PJM's filing a mess.
Check it: Watch what FERC's paper hearing concludes on cost allocation, since the fight is over whether data centers or all PJM customers pay for the 6,831 MW.
Supports the case for September 28, 2026
Blackstone, OpenAI, QTS and SoftBank joined the IBEW, sheet metal workers, insulators, iron workers and plumbers and pipefitters in a coalition aimed at negotiating data center standards in Texas, Georgia, Ohio, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Indiana and South Carolina before 2027 sessions, in exchange for heading off moratoriums. Organizers described the effort as a high-eight-figure campaign but did not disclose spending.
Check it: The alliance is an advocacy coalition, not a regulator; its ability to head off state moratoriums will depend on how legislators and local officials respond.
Supports the case for September 26, 2026
CNBC reported that data center construction has become a leading source of blue-collar hiring in electrical, HVAC, welding, and pipefitting trades, with the AI buildout described as a jobs boom for skilled trades, but noted that a wave of local moratoriums and rezoning fights could stall projects and dampen that hiring. Industry sources cited millions of construction-hours tied to announced projects, while union electricians said apprenticeship classes have grown significantly in states with active builds.
Check it: Construction jobs are temporary and tied to the build phase; permanent operations staffing at a hyperscale campus is typically much smaller than construction peak headcount.
Supports the case for September 19, 2026
The Daily Caller News Foundation reports that a planned national data center protest organized by the Humans First group and allied activists drew only a small crowd in Washington. Industry-aligned commentators cite the low turnout as evidence that opposition is concentrated locally rather than nationally, while organizers say local moratoriums are the truer measure of resistance.
Check it: Outlet has a right-leaning editorial slant. Attendance at a single rally is a weak proxy for the size of the broader opposition movement, which tracks 843 local groups per Data Center Watch.
Texas 5 reports · Texas page
Supports the case for October 6, 2026
Developers filed construction plans for a $366 million data center campus in Cedar Creek, Texas, after the project cleared Governor Abbott's statewide pause on environmental permit approvals. The 498,165 square foot facility is reportedly in talks to be leased by Anthropic. Construction is targeted for late November with completion by January 2028.
Check it: An Anthropic lease is reported, not confirmed by Anthropic in filings; project still needs local approvals and utility connections.
Supports the case against September 21, 2026
Governor Greg Abbott ordered the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to suspend action on all data center environmental permits until ERCOT and the Texas Water Development Board complete audits of the sector, expanding earlier grid and water directives into a statewide, multi agency pause. Data centers seeking to move forward must satisfy conditions covering electric infrastructure costs, water conservation, and setback compliance, with a compliance report due to the governor by October 19.
Check it: The order is an executive directive to TCEQ, not a change to statute, and its scope depends on how TCEQ implements it for pending applications.
Supports the case against September 21, 2026
CBS Texas frames the September 21 directive as part of a series of Abbott moves in 2026, from a June requirement that data centers fully fund their own electric infrastructure to August audits and September water survey enforcement. Industry groups have signaled worries that the pause could push announced Texas projects to other states, while opposition groups say the audits are overdue.
Check it: The moratorium is a temporary pause tied to agency audits, not a permanent ban, and existing permitted projects continue to operate.
Supports the case against September 21, 2026
Governor Greg Abbott directed the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to pause all data center permits until ERCOT and the Texas Water Development Board finish audits of the industry's electricity and water use. Supporters of the order say it forces data centers to pay their own way and protects consumers, while industry groups warn the pause could deter investment. TCEQ must report on compliance by October 19.
Check it: Confirm the scope of the pause, whether it applies to already-permitted projects, and how long the audits are expected to take.
Supports the case against September 16, 2026
Brownsville commissioners approved a resolution directing the city manager to draft an ordinance imposing a temporary 90-day moratorium on new rezoning or permit applications for high-intensity data processing facilities while staff study standards. The action follows Governor Greg Abbott's August 2026 statewide audit of pending data center interconnection requests.
Check it: The commissioners directed the drafting of an ordinance; final adoption still requires a follow-up vote.
Michigan 4 reports · Michigan page
Cited by both sides September 29, 2026
Saginaw's council voted 8-0 to limit data centers to industrial districts as a special land use, require reports on water and energy use and wastewater discharge, and mandate at least two neighborhood meetings before approval. The rules take effect October 9, ahead of the city's existing development moratorium ending December 31.
Check it: The ordinance sets rules but does not itself approve or block any project; no data center is currently proposed in Saginaw.
Supports the case against September 24, 2026
Brighton Township joined other Livingston County communities in pausing new data center applications while the planning commission drafts rules, calling the vote a housekeeping step because the current ordinance does not mention data centers. The Michigan Townships Association has recommended similar reviews statewide.
Check it: No data center project has been proposed in Brighton Township; the moratorium is preemptive rulemaking, not a rejection of a specific developer.
Supports the case against September 22, 2026
The Kalamazoo City Commission gave first reading to a zoning ordinance embedding its August 17 resolution moratorium into the city's zoning code, a step staff said is required for legal enforceability under Michigan's zoning enabling act. A public hearing and second reading are set for October 5, which would restart the one year clock.
Check it: The vote was a first reading only. The moratorium is not fully embedded in zoning code until the second reading and hearing on October 5.
Cited by both sides September 16, 2026
Two Michigan Republican members of Congress introduced federal bills that would bar Washington from overriding state and local control of data center siting and prohibit non-disclosure agreements about them, while a Michigan Democrat filed a bill to strip data center access to certain federal opportunity-zone tax breaks. In Lansing, state moratorium and community-benefit bills remain stalled and Governor Whitmer has said she would veto any statewide moratorium.
Check it: None of these bills has passed a chamber; check whether committee hearings have been scheduled.
New York 4 reports · New York page
Supports the case against September 30, 2026
The Buffalo Common Council agreed to move forward with a two year moratorium on new data centers and cryptocurrency facilities but delayed the final vote and added an amendment creating a nine member task force including the city planner, climate action manager, residents, and business representatives to study zoning updates. Mayor Sean Ryan said the proposal differs from New York's statewide one year pause. A final vote is expected in about two weeks.
Check it: The amendment stops short of a final moratorium vote and the task force composition will shape whether the two year pause survives in final form.
Supports the case against September 29, 2026
Village trustees postponed a vote on a proposed moratorium covering any project drawing 2 MW or more after residents at a public hearing asked for stronger environmental and utility language. Turin Management, owner of the former Remington Arms site, said no data center user is committed and it is prioritizing manufacturing options.
Check it: No date has been set for a rescheduled vote; the Remington site has significant cleanup costs that make any large project uncertain.
Supports the case against September 29, 2026
The council adopted an amended resolution from North District Councilman Joe Golombek calling for a two-year pause on new data center construction and expansions of existing facilities, plus a nine-member task force to draft zoning and property tax updates. Buffalo's proposed pause is longer than New York's statewide one-year hyperscale moratorium.
Check it: The resolution is not the final ordinance; council staff will draft the moratorium law before another vote.
Supports the case against September 23, 2026
A resolution to impose a two year moratorium on new data centers and cryptocurrency mining in Buffalo advanced through the Common Council's community development committee and is expected to pass at the September 30 full council meeting with a veto proof six member majority. Sponsors said the pause would allow the city to form a commission to study regulations. Buffalo does not currently have any data center applications pending.
Check it: Whether the full council passes the resolution on September 30 and whether Mayor Sean Ryan signs or vetoes it.
Florida 3 reports · Florida page
Supports the case against September 22, 2026
The North Port City Commission gave final approval to an 18 month moratorium on new data center applications after a packed public hearing that ran nearly seven hours. Residents cited concerns about water supply, noise, air pollution and job claims; one pending application from a 900,000 square foot project is unaffected. The commission said the pause allows time to write local rules.
Check it: Whether the exempted 900,000 square foot project proceeds and whether the city develops permanent standards during the 18 months.
Supports the case against September 22, 2026
Wakulla County commissioners voted unanimously to adopt an ordinance prohibiting data centers in the county's unincorporated areas, formalizing a ban that county staff said had been in effect in practice. Speakers at the public hearing raised concerns about impacts on Wakulla Springs and the groundwater system.
Check it: The ordinance applies only to unincorporated Wakulla County and can be amended by future commissions.
Supports the case against September 22, 2026
Manatee County's 12 month moratorium began September 22, preventing large load customers or facilities with substantial electric, water, wastewater or other utility demands from submitting building permits, site plans, rezones or comprehensive plan amendments. The county cited Senate Bill 484 as authority for the pause.
Check it: The moratorium covers all large load facilities, not only data centers, and its enforcement depends on how the county interprets substantial utility demands.
Georgia 3 reports · Georgia page
Supports the case against October 1, 2026
A longer AJC piece lays out how Lovejoy went from considering Stillwater Development's 3.5 million square foot, 1.25 gigawatt campus near two schools to passing an outright data center ban on September 29. The developer withdrew in August; the article is a case study in how school proximity, traffic and school bus concerns drove reversal.
Check it: Check whether other metro Atlanta jurisdictions with proposed sites near schools follow Lovejoy's pattern, and whether Stillwater refiles elsewhere in the region.
Supports the case for September 30, 2026
In a 4 to 2 vote after hours of public comment, Jesup city commissioners approved the first reading of an ordinance that formally defines data centers and permits them as a conditional use in light industrial zoning districts. Many residents urged a moratorium instead so the city could study water and grid impacts. A second reading is required before the ordinance can take effect.
Check it: First reading does not enact the ordinance; the second reading is scheduled and the measure can still be amended or defeated.
Supports the case against September 29, 2026
The City of Lovejoy approved an ordinance banning data center construction within city limits after months of opposition to Stillwater Development's withdrawn plan for a 3.5 million square foot, 1.25 GW campus on Panhandle Road near Michelle Obama STEM Elementary Academy and Eddie White Middle School. The ordinance also repeals an administrative permit article and sets standards for high density housing.
Check it: The ban applies only inside Lovejoy's incorporated limits; the Panhandle Road site could reappear through annexation to a different jurisdiction.
Oregon 3 reports · Oregon page
Supports the case against October 8, 2026
Hillsboro's City Council advanced an ordinance that would limit new standalone data centers mostly to Industrial Park and Industrial Sanctuary zones, cap acreage, require public hearings and set a 1,000 foot buffer from schools. A second reading and possible final vote are set for October 20. The city's 120 day land use moratorium otherwise expires in November.
Check it: If the final vote slips past the moratorium's expiration, new applications could be filed in the gap.
Supports the case against September 22, 2026
The Salem City Council gave final approval to a 120 day moratorium in a special session, pausing all data center applications until January 19, 2027 while a city task force studies regulation. Councilors kept an option to extend the pause by up to six months.
Check it: The city attorney has said the pause blocks the pending Verrus data center application, but the developer could challenge whether the ordinance applies retroactively.
Supports the case against September 15, 2026
The Woodburn City Council unanimously approved a four-month pause on accepting, reviewing or approving new data storage and IT facility applications while staff study zoning, utilities, water, energy and noise impacts. No data center applications are currently pending in the city, and the move follows Hillsboro's similar 120-day pause and a state land pause ordered by Governor Tina Kotek earlier in September.
Check it: The moratorium is 120 days and does not cover other industrial projects; it is a study pause, not a permanent ban.
Tennessee 3 reports · Tennessee page
Supports the case against October 13, 2026
Shelby County commissioners on October 12 narrowly advanced the first reading of a proposed 12-month pause on data center development in unincorporated parts of the county, by a 5-4-4 vote with four members abstaining. The county measure runs parallel to a separate Memphis city moratorium that returns for a third reading on October 20.
Check it: A first reading is not a final adoption; wait for the second and third readings before treating the Shelby County pause as in effect.
Supports the case against October 6, 2026
The Memphis City Council halted its third and final reading of a proposed data center moratorium after protesters and council members clashed and a fistfight broke out in the lobby. The ordinance, which would pause new data center approvals while the city writes zoning rules, is now scheduled for Oct. 20. Opposition has focused on xAI's Colossus facility and its gas turbines in a predominantly Black neighborhood.
Check it: The moratorium is a pause, not a ban, and Memphis council has postponed this vote multiple times already; watch whether the Oct. 20 vote actually produces an ordinance or another delay.
Supports the case against October 2, 2026
The Memphis City Council is scheduled to take the third reading of a temporary moratorium on data center development on October 6, following a September delay. The ordinance would pause new approvals while the city writes zoning rules specific to hyperscale and high density computing facilities, and supporters plan a pre meeting rally targeting Elon Musk's xAI Colossus site.
Check it: A third reading is scheduled but can be delayed again; readers should check whether the vote actually happens on October 6.