Fairfield County advances plan to pause data center applications for regulatory study
Fairfield County Council has unanimously approved the first reading of a 12-month moratorium on new data center applications. This temporary pause aims to allow county leaders to study potential impacts, such as water usage and noise, and establish clear regulations for future developments. The moratorium needs to pass two more readings before it can take effect.
Fairfield County Council has unanimously approved the first reading of a 12-month moratorium on new data center developments. The decision, reported by Jamon Wade of News 19 WLTX, is intended to provide county leaders with time to study the potential impacts of data centers and establish clear regulatory guidelines before any new projects are allowed to proceed. Resident Randy Bright expressed satisfaction with the decision, emphasizing the need for future developments to be handled correctly, stating "If we're going to get data centers, we have to do it right."
The temporary pause does not outright ban data centers but prevents new applications while the county determines how issues such as water usage, noise, and other potential impacts should be addressed and regulated. Fairfield is now the second Midlands County in approximately a week to advance a data center moratorium, and the ninth county statewide to have one in place. County leaders are hopeful that state officials will also provide guidance on data center regulations during this 12-month period.
The moratorium requires two additional readings before it can take full effect. If approved, county leaders would have up to one year to develop and implement new regulations before accepting new data center applications.