Boyd County freezes new data centers for six months, but EastPark project is exempt
Boyd County officials have approved a six-month moratorium on new data centers following public outcry about facilities in their communities. However, an existing TeraWulf data center project in the EastPark industrial complex is exempt from the pause due to its multi-county ownership structure.
Boyd County, Kentucky, has enacted a six-month moratorium on new data center development, a decision made by the Boyd County fiscal court following a packed town hall meeting where residents voiced concerns about the facilities. Boyd County Judge-Executive Eric Chaney confirmed the temporary pause will not apply to properties within the North East Kentucky regional industrial park, known as EastPark, which includes a data center project announced by TeraWulf in May.
Chaney explained that the EastPark project is exempt because the industrial park is jointly owned by multiple counties, including Elliott, Lawrence, and Carter Counties, making it difficult for Boyd County to unilaterally impose restrictions. This exemption sparked questions from the public during the meeting, who asked why the TeraWulf data center would not be included in the moratorium.