Grand Junction approves one-year moratorium on large data centers
The Grand Junction City Council voted 6-0 to enact a moratorium lasting up to one year on large data center development and pre-development activity. The temporary ban applies to facilities with projected electrical loads of at least one megawatt and is intended to give local governments time to develop regulations addressing water, electricity, noise, light and infrastructure impacts.
The Grand Junction City Council approved a one-year moratorium on large data centers in a 6-0 vote, with Council Member Robert Ballard absent. The ordinance, which will take effect after it is formalized in the municipal code, blocks development and pre-development steps for facilities with projected, designed or requested electrical loads of at least one megawatt. No qualifying applications were pending when the measure was approved.
Interim Community Development Director Thomas Lloyd said the pause will allow Grand Junction to develop standards for data centers’ substantial electricity, cooling, water and infrastructure demands, as well as noise and light impacts. The action follows a similar Mesa County resolution, while Fruita is considering its own moratorium. Residents broadly supported the temporary ban, with some calling for an indefinite prohibition because of drought and water-conservation concerns, though Council Member Anna Stout said the city is seeking intentional regulation rather than opposing data centers outright.