Nye County Commission rejects data center ban proposal
The Nye County Commission failed to pass a bill to ban data centers in areas without an elected town board, despite significant public opposition. Commissioners instead voted to discuss a special election where residents could decide the issue. The county is also developing new regulatory codes for data center development.
The Nye County Commission addressed Bill No. 2026-11, a proposal by Commissioner Ian Bayne to ban data centers in unincorporated areas, but the measure failed to come to a vote. The August 4 meeting, like a previous Data Center Forum, saw chambers overflow with residents expressing strong opinions on data center development in the Pahrump Valley.
Commissioner Bayne argued a ban was necessary because the county's existing moratorium on new data center applications had not halted ongoing development proposals. He cited a petition signed by over 3,400 people supporting a ban, noting its significant public backing. Bayne proposed limiting the ban to Pahrump's Basin No. 162, but his efforts to secure a ban were unsuccessful.
Conversely, Commissioner Bruce Jabbour advocated for the issue to be decided by a special election, a suggestion met with applause. Nye County Manager Brett Waggoner informed the board that the county was close to finalizing a new ordinance to regulate data center development, currently under review by the District Attorney, with a public hearing planned for September. Nye County Clerk Cori Friedhof indicated that the earliest a special election could be held would be January 2027.
Jabbour successfully moved for an agenda item at the August 18 meeting to consider a ballot question on a data center ban and its funding. Bayne's subsequent motion for an immediate, temporary ban specific to Pahrump Valley failed due to lack of a second.