Dane County eyes 18-month moratorium on data centers
The Dane County Board is set to vote on an 18-month moratorium on new zoning licenses for data centers. This proposed pause is driven by concerns over the high energy consumption of such facilities. If approved, Dane County would join other Wisconsin communities in implementing similar measures.
The Dane County Board is preparing to vote on an 18-month moratorium targeting new zoning licenses for data centers within the county's rural towns. This move reflects a growing sentiment among Wisconsin communities to pause new data center developments due to their significant energy demands.
The proposed measure, if passed, would temporarily halt the permitting process for companies seeking to establish new data center facilities in Dane County. The article notes the ongoing construction of a $1 billion, 520-acre data center for Meta in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, as context for the scale of such projects, though Meta is not directly involved in this proposed moratorium.