River Falls council considers data center moratorium
River Falls residents urged the City Council to adopt a temporary moratorium on data center development amid concerns about water use, wastewater, electricity demand and environmental impacts. The council did not vote on a moratorium but agreed to review zoning regulations, develop recommendations and continue discussing the issue before approving any data center project.
Residents packed the Oct. 13 River Falls City Council meeting to call for a temporary pause on data center development. City Administrator Scot Simpson said a moratorium was not before the council for adoption, but staff could prepare one if directed. The council instead agreed to review existing zoning rules, consider possible requirements and revisit the issue at a future workshop.
The discussion followed an early feasibility review involving Project Badger, which examined a potential data center at the city-owned Mann Valley property. The concept could have involved a $500 million equipment investment, up to 315 megawatts of electricity use, as much as 2 million gallons of water per day and 500,000 gallons of wastewater, although the project never reached the site-submittal stage. Residents raised concerns about PFAS, water consumption and limited job creation, while Mayor Alison Page and council members said the city should establish clear standards before considering any proposal.