Mercer County fiscal court approves initial reading of data center moratorium

News Clip0:45FOX 56 News·Mercer County, KY·7/29/2026

The Mercer County Fiscal Court has approved the initial reading of a data center moratorium. This decision comes as two data center proposals, including a hyperscale facility, are under consideration in the county. Magistrate Susan Barrington believes a moratorium is necessary.

moratorium
Gov: Mercer County Fiscal Court, Magistrate Susan Barrington

The Mercer County Fiscal Court has approved the initial reading of a motion for a data center moratorium. The decision, made on Tuesday, follows concerns raised about ongoing data center developments in the area.

Magistrate Susan Barrington, who represents a district within Mercer County, stated that there are currently two data center proposals under consideration, both located within two miles of each other. She highlighted that at least one of these proposals is for a hyperscale data center, prompting her belief that a moratorium is needed to address potential impacts. The court's approval of the initial reading marks a step forward in potentially implementing a temporary halt on data center construction.