City board backs temporary pause on large data centers

The Keene Planning Board has endorsed a one-year moratorium on new large-scale data center approvals, specifically targeting facilities used for artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency mining. This proposed pause will allow city staff, including Senior Planner Mari Brunner, to thoroughly study the potential impacts of such projects on water usage, electricity demand, land use, transportation, public health, the environment, and city finances. The current Land Development Code in Keene lacks detailed standards for data centers, which are currently permitted as an industrial use.

Planning Board Chair Harold Farrington emphasized the importance of proactively addressing the rapid expansion and significant resource demands of large data centers. The board's decision aims to establish proper regulatory frameworks before any major projects are built, aligning with state law that allows temporary moratoriums under unusual circumstances. Councilor Phil Jones, who initially brought the request forward, suggested that future discussions should focus on refining the definition of a large-scale data center, including specific thresholds for size, power consumption, and environmental effects.

Mayor Jay Kahn, also a Planning Board member, highlighted the necessity of ensuring the moratorium excludes smaller, accessory data center operations that serve local businesses, such as the FirstLight Data Center. This local initiative in Keene mirrors a broader discussion throughout New Hampshire, where communities are considering slowing data center growth to better understand their strain on local resources. Governor Kelly Ayotte has also expressed support for a potential statewide moratorium next year, following similar debates in other towns like Nottingham, Rochester, and Bow.