Nottingham data center proposal sparks controversy
A proposed data center in Nottingham, New Hampshire, faced significant local opposition, leading the developer to withdraw his application. Residents cited concerns over water quality, electricity costs, and noise pollution, and are now advocating for a town-wide moratorium on similar developments. State-level efforts to regulate data centers in New Hampshire recently failed.
Residents of Nottingham, New Hampshire, mounted fierce opposition to a proposed data center, leading Seacoast entrepreneur Thomas Moulton to withdraw his application. Moulton had proposed converting a vacant warehouse on Route 4 into a data center.
Ahead of a Nottingham planning board meeting, an online petition against the proposal garnered over 25,000 signatures, and protestors gathered outside the meeting on May 27. Kristen Lamb, a member of the town’s conservation committee, voiced concerns about potential impacts on water quality, increased electricity bills, noise pollution, and violations of the town’s zoning ordinances.
Despite the withdrawal, residents, including Lamb, are continuing their efforts, expressing interest in pursuing a town-wide moratorium to prevent future data center developments or other industrial projects with similar impacts. The planning board is scheduled to hold a special workshop meeting on June 3 to discuss the topic further.
Meanwhile, legislative efforts in New Hampshire to regulate data centers at the state level have stalled. Senate Bill 439, which aimed to define data centers and grant municipalities more regulatory authority, failed in a House floor vote. Another House bill seeking to prohibit data centers statewide and establish a study committee also failed in committee.