North Brunswick, East Brunswick, and Stafford Township Ban Data Centers as Local Opposition Grows
North Brunswick, East Brunswick, and Stafford Township in New Jersey have enacted bans on data centers, becoming the latest municipalities to do so. This action follows growing local opposition over environmental concerns, high electricity and water demands, and limited job creation. The bans reflect a spreading statewide movement advocating for a full moratorium on data center development.
In a significant development, three New Jersey municipalities—North Brunswick, East Brunswick, and Stafford Township—unanimously voted to ban data centers, marking them as the 35th, 36th, and 37th towns in the state to enact such prohibitions. This wave of local action, which occurred simultaneously in the Middlesex and Ocean County communities, underscores a rapidly growing statewide movement fueled by resident opposition to the environmental impact and resource demands of large-scale AI facilities.
Community concerns in North Brunswick, specifically, intensified around a proposed redevelopment at 100 Fidelity Plaza, prompting residents to mobilize their local Township Council. Kristal Calkins, a community watershed advocate and North Brunswick resident, expressed gratitude to local officials for prioritizing the environment and community well-being over data center development. She emphasized the importance of investing in public libraries as existing "incredible data centers."
The bans are the result of collaborative efforts between residents and advocacy groups, including Food & Water Watch New Jersey, The Watershed Institute, and Climate Revolution Action Network New Jersey (CRAN). Ben Dziobek, Executive Director of CRAN, highlighted the bans as proof of the movement's rapid expansion, noting that towns are encouraging each other to resist "Big Tech." Charlie Krativil, Central Jersey Organizer for Food Water Watch, advocated for these bans as a "common sense approach to zoning" and called for a statewide moratorium. The growing momentum spans rural, suburban, and urban communities, all demanding protection from the substantial electricity and water consumption, potential pollution, infrastructure strain, and minimal permanent job creation associated with data centers.