Pasco County enacts a one-year moratorium on large data centers
Pasco County Commissioners have approved a one-year moratorium on large-scale data centers in unincorporated areas, citing concerns over high electricity and water usage. The temporary ban applies to facilities consuming more than 2.5 megawatts of power. Residents have expressed a desire for a permanent ban, similar to actions taken in other Florida counties.
Pasco County Commissioners have enacted a one-year moratorium on large data centers within the county's unincorporated areas. The temporary ban, approved on Tuesday, targets server or computer rooms that would consume more than 2.5 megawatts of electricity, a threshold equivalent to powering 1,500 to 2,500 average homes.
Commissioner Jack Mariano stated that the board-initiated item aims to provide a "rock solid" pause on data center development for a year, allowing officials to better define and regulate such facilities. The decision comes amidst growing criticism across the country regarding the high electricity and water demands of data centers, primarily for cooling servers.
While the moratorium offers a temporary halt, residents like Cindy Skarda of San Antonio advocated for a permanent ban, noting that Jackson and Walton counties in Florida have already moved towards such measures. Several other Florida counties, including Sarasota, Hernando, Citrus, Clay, Lake, Nassau, and Wakulla, along with the city of Zephyrhills, have also implemented temporary bans on data center construction.