Laurens County Council to consider temporary data center moratorium
The Laurens County Council in South Carolina is considering a temporary, 12-month moratorium on data center development permits to allow county staff to study their impacts. The proposed ordinance, which is up for its first reading, aims to evaluate data centers' effects on utilities, water resources, infrastructure, and zoning. This local action mirrors a broader national trend of communities pushing back against data center expansion due to resource concerns.
The Laurens County Council in South Carolina is set to hold a first reading on an ordinance proposing a temporary 12-month moratorium on new data center development within the county. The council plans to discuss this at its regular monthly meeting. The proposed moratorium is intended to give county staff, the Planning Commission, and the County Council adequate time to evaluate the potential impacts of data center development on electric utility systems, water resources, wastewater systems, transportation infrastructure, emergency services, land use compatibility, noise levels, and environmental resources.
The ordinance highlights that the County’s current zoning, land development, and permitting regulations do not specifically address data center development standards. A temporary halt is deemed necessary to preserve the status quo while the County conducts its review and considers appropriate regulations for site design, buffering, setbacks, utility infrastructure, emergency response planning, noise mitigation, and water use. During the moratorium, staff will also study appropriate areas for data centers and recommend amendments to the Planning and Zoning Ordinance (PZO).
This local initiative reflects a nationwide trend of increasing opposition to large-scale data center developments. According to recent industry reports, over $130 billion in proposed AI data center projects were blocked or delayed in the first three months of 2026 across the United States. Communities and officials are raising concerns about the massive energy and water consumption of AI data centers, the need for significant grid upgrades, and the potential for higher utility bills for residents. Examples include opposition to an Amazon data center campus in Tucson, Arizona, and Google withdrawing a planned project near Indianapolis, Indiana, due to anticipated rejection. This growing resistance is prompting some developers to look overseas for more receptive communities and abundant renewable energy sources.