Denver city council unanimously approves one-year moratorium on new data center construction

The Denver City Council has unanimously approved a one-year moratorium on new data center construction, effective immediately. This decision comes after a lengthy public comment session where nearly 60 Denver residents, particularly from the Globeville Elyria Swansea (GES) neighborhood, voiced significant concerns about the health and water usage impacts of data centers. Residents have actively opposed the CoreSite data center currently under construction near their homes, with community activist Alessandra Chavira highlighting the ongoing struggle against a perceived lack of regulations.

During the moratorium period, the council plans to establish a task force to thoroughly study data center impacts and develop more robust regulations. While some, like Jesus Loaiza, advocated for an outright ban, others including Britt Diehl of the Downtown Denver Partnership supported the pause as a reasonable step. Local unions, such as IBEW Local 68 represented by Julian Aguilar, emphasized the economic benefits and job creation associated with data center construction.

However, city leaders clarified that the moratorium will not affect the CoreSite facility, which is nearing completion and received prior approvals. A CoreSite spokesperson noted that the moratorium targets future development, not existing projects. City council members, including at-large member Sarah Parady and Council President Amanda Sandoval, expressed regret over the initial approval of the CoreSite project after hearing residents' testimonies, with Sandoval issuing an apology to GES residents. Despite the moratorium, GES Coalition organizer Alfonso Espino underscored that the community's fight continues, with the focus now shifting to the nature of regulations that will follow the pause.