Daily Digest — March 29, 2026
Apex, NC, Schedules Public Hearing on Data Center Moratorium
The town of Apex, North Carolina, has scheduled a public hearing for April 14 to discuss a proposed moratorium on data center development, according to WRAL. The move follows an unnamed developer's withdrawal of plans for a data center project after significant community opposition. That project would have included:
- Six 70-foot buildings on 189 acres near Shearon Harris Road
- Approximately 80 3-megawatt generators
- Treated wastewater for cooling
- Power drawn from Duke Energy's grid
Mayor Jacques K. Gilbert said the town needs more time to evaluate large data center developments and involve residents in zoning ordinance discussions, noting that even a year-long timeframe is relatively short given the complexity. The hearing will be held at Apex Town Hall at 6 p.m. and will also be available via the town's YouTube livestream, as WRAL reported.
Legal Challenge Escalates Against Google Data Center in Pine Island, MN
The Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA) has filed a new memorandum and requested an injunction to halt development of the Project Skyway technology park in Pine Island, Minnesota, according to the Post Bulletin. The 482-acre site is being developed by Ryan Companies with Google as an initial data center tenant.
MCEA contends the city's alternative urban areawide review (AUAR), approved in September 2025, was invalid because city officials and Ryan Companies knew for over a year before approval that the project was specifically intended for a large Google data center. The advocacy group cites a non-disclosure agreement signed by City Engineer Craig Britton and an email from January 2024 discussing potential water usage of up to 10 million gallons per day — far exceeding original projections.
City Administrator Elizabeth Howard countered that Google's commitment was not official until after the AUAR's completion. Ryan Companies maintains that specific designs were unknown during the AUAR process. Court hearings are scheduled for April 6 and April 20 in Goodhue County District Court. Howard testified that a delay from an injunction would negatively impact job creation, local business support, and payments of $250,000 and $500,000 to the Pine Island School District.
WV Data Center Developer Unveils Solar Field Plans Amid Ongoing Opposition
Fundamental Data has revealed new details about its Ridgeline Facility data center and power plant project in Tucker County, West Virginia, including plans for nearly 1.3 gigawatts of solar power covering 6,500 to 9,000 acres, according to Country Roads News. The information was disclosed in a letter responding to three Democratic U.S. senators who raised concerns about potential pollution.
The facility, located less than two miles from the towns of Davis and Thomas, involves a natural gas-fired power plant with diesel backup. Fundamental Data stated that solar power, and potentially nuclear power and carbon capture technology, have been part of its strategy, though previous public statements and regulatory filings had not mentioned these renewable components. The company cited the site's proximity to a major natural gas field, critical transmission nodes, and a lack of local zoning and regulatory layers as reasons for selecting the location.
The project faces a pending lawsuit seeking to block construction. Separately, West Virginia House Speaker Roger Hanshaw has drawn scrutiny for representing Fundamental Data as legal counsel through his firm Bowles Rice while also representing another data center developer in Mason County and guiding legislation that could benefit such clients.
Northern Kentucky Group Files Lawsuit Over Hyperscale Data Center Zoning
An anti-data center group in Northern Kentucky has filed a lawsuit challenging the zoning approval for a proposed hyperscale data center project, according to LOCAL 12. The legal action targets a major AI company's plans to build a large data center complex in the region.
Kentucky Lawmakers Advance Data Center Legislation in Final Session Days
Kentucky legislators are advancing data center-related legislation as they negotiate bills in the final days of their legislative session, according to the Hoptown Chronicle. Details on the specific provisions of the data center legislation were not elaborated in the report.
