Durham expands data center pause to study, guard against potential impacts
The Durham City Council extended its temporary ban on new data centers and crypto mining facilities by 10 months, making it a full 12-month moratorium through May 2027. This decision provides the Planning and Development Department more time to study the impacts of these facilities and draft new regulations, as the current Unified Development Ordinance lacks clear definitions and rules for data centers concerning utilities and environmental effects. Officials cited high energy and water demands, potential utility rate increases, and environmental concerns like air quality and water scarcity during a drought as reasons for the expanded pause.
The Durham City Council voted to extend its temporary ban on new data centers and cryptocurrency mining facilities, turning a 60-day freeze into a full 12-month moratorium that will last until May 2027. This extension grants the city's Planning and Development Department additional time to conduct comprehensive studies on the potential impacts of these facilities and to formulate new regulatory guidelines.
Mayor Leo Williams emphasized the importance of the decision, acknowledging the rapid growth of AI and the necessity of a thoughtful approach to data center development. City officials noted that Durham's current Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) lacks specific definitions for data centers and cryptocurrency mining, as well as regulations concerning their impact on water and sewer utility extensions. This regulatory gap is critical, especially considering that modern hyper-scale data centers can consume vast quantities of water.
Environmental concerns were highlighted by Ashley Daniels of Toxic Free NC, who warned the City Council that unregulated data center growth could exacerbate air quality issues, releasing pollutants that worsen respiratory conditions like asthma. Daniels also pointed out that Durham is currently under Stage 2 water restrictions due due to drought, making the significant water demands of data centers a pressing issue. Resident Samuel Scarborough advocated for an even longer moratorium of 32 months, urging caution to prevent premature approvals without adequate infrastructure.
Durham is part of a growing trend in North Carolina, with other local governments such as Chatham County, Apex, and Wendell having recently implemented similar temporary bans on data center construction.