Westfield votes for moratorium on data centers
The Westfield City Council unanimously voted for a one-year moratorium on data center construction and permitting. This decision followed public comments from residents who expressed concerns about environmental impacts, particularly water usage, and the potential costs associated with data centers.
The Westfield City Council in Massachusetts unanimously voted on Monday evening to enact a one-year moratorium on the permitting and construction of new data centers within the city. The decision followed a public comment period where residents, including Kathy Labrie, voiced significant concerns about the potential environmental impacts, particularly the high water usage by data centers, and the associated costs, which they argued would negatively affect local resources and neighboring towns.
Labrie, a Westfield resident, highlighted fears about water scarcity for future generations, stating, "My children live here, my grandchildren live here. What are you going to do when your children and grandchildren look at you and say, 'how come we don't have any water?'"
This 365-day pause is intended to allow a committee to thoroughly investigate the impacts of data centers on natural resources, public health, and local infrastructure. During this period, no new data center applications will be accepted or approved by the city.