Mercer County Fiscal Court approves motion for data center moratorium
The Mercer County Fiscal Court has approved a motion for a data center moratorium, pending a second meeting for formal adoption. A local magistrate highlighted the need for the moratorium due to two proposed data centers in District 4. Concurrently, the city of Burgin is pursuing an annexation ordinance that could allow a data center, which would require its own separate ordinance if the county's moratorium is adopted.
The Mercer County Fiscal Court has provisionally approved a data center moratorium, with a second reading for formal adoption scheduled for August 11. This decision comes as two data center proposals are reportedly under consideration in District 4, including at least one hyperscale facility, which a magistrate stated are within two miles of each other.
The magistrate expressed strong concerns about the impact on the local area, describing District 4 as "under attack" and emphasizing its scenic, tourism-driven, and agricultural character. She advocated for the moratorium, citing her 71 years of residency in the area. Separately, the city of Burgin, also in Mercer County, is pursuing an annexation ordinance that could facilitate a data center project. The article clarifies that both county and city governments are required to establish their own distinct ordinances for data centers, meaning Burgin would need to create its own regulations even if the county's moratorium is enacted.