Town leaders react to sidelined data center project in Jay
Officials in Jay, Maine, are reacting after Sentinel Data Centers withdrew plans to build a facility at the old Androscoggin Mill site. The company's decision follows concerns about high energy usage and environmental impacts, and the passage of a temporary statewide moratorium on data center construction, which was later vetoed by Governor Janet Mills. Local municipalities are now reportedly passing their own moratoriums.
Town leaders in Jay, Maine, are responding to the unexpected withdrawal of Sentinel Data Centers from a planned project at the former Androscoggin Mill. The data center facility, which was expected to create 800 temporary construction jobs and 100 permanent positions, has been sidelined after the company backed out.
The decision by Sentinel Data Centers comes amid legislative actions and concerns regarding high energy consumption and potential negative environmental impacts of data center developments. During the last legislative session, state lawmakers passed a temporary statewide moratorium on data center construction. However, Governor Janet Mills vetoed this moratorium, citing its failure to include an exception for Jay, where the project was already well underway.
Shiloh LaFreniere, Jay's Town Manager, expressed that the loss of prospective jobs is less impactful than losing existing ones, referencing the town's experience with mill downsizing. In the wake of the state-level legislative complexities, local municipalities across Maine have reportedly begun enacting their own data center moratoriums. JGT2, the company owning the former mill site, is now exploring alternative options for the property, which once employed approximately 1,500 workers.