St. Johns County is latest to consider moratorium on data centers
The St. Johns County Commission has unanimously agreed to discuss a one-year moratorium on data center developments at a future meeting. County Commissioner Ann Taylor raised concerns about the county becoming a target for data centers due to actions taken by neighboring counties, citing issues with water and electricity usage. This move follows similar discussions in Clay County and an enacted moratorium in Nassau County, among others in Florida.
The St. Johns County Commission unanimously voted on Tuesday to schedule a future meeting to discuss implementing a one-year moratorium on all data center developments. County Commissioner Ann Taylor, who had previously advocated for such a measure, warned her colleagues that St. Johns County risked becoming a "sitting duck" for data center projects if neighboring counties continued to block them.
Commissioner Taylor emphasized concerns regarding the significant water and electricity consumption of data centers, citing examples from rural areas in states like Texas, the Carolinas, and Michigan. She noted that similar projects have been proposed in Florida, including in Polk County, and highlighted that Clay County is holding similar discussions while Nassau County recently passed its own year-long moratorium. Wakulla, Walton, and Pasco counties have also adopted comparable measures, intensifying the pressure on St. Johns County.