Memphis City Council postpones vote on proposed data center moratorium amid protests
The Memphis City Council postponed a vote on a proposed 12-month moratorium on new data center projects until Oct. 20. The delay followed protests, police clearing the chamber and a fight in the lobby, while council members debated concerns about data centers’ electricity, water use, air quality and neighborhood impacts.
The Memphis City Council voted 7-5 to postpone until Oct. 20 a vote on a proposed yearlong moratorium on new data centers. The measure would pause new projects while the city studies their effects on public health and Memphis’ power, water and other infrastructure.
The meeting became disorderly as protesters chanted, police cleared the chamber and two women fought in the lobby. Councilman J.B. Smiley Jr., the moratorium’s lead sponsor, argued that the council should act after residents came to demand a decision, while Councilman Jeff Warren warned that a moratorium could drive companies to nearby counties.
The debate comes as SpaceXAI operates its Colossus computing facilities in the Memphis area. Residents have raised concerns about the facilities’ electricity and water consumption, air pollution, noise and effects on nearby neighborhoods. Mayor Paul Young has called for stronger rules governing data center siting and resource use while acknowledging the tax revenue the facilities generate.