Supervisors put the brakes on new data centers with year-long moratorium | Daily Gate City - Keokuk, Iowa

The Lee County Board of Supervisors in Iowa unanimously enacted a one-year moratorium on new data center construction on Tuesday. The pause is intended to provide county leaders and staff sufficient time to research the industry, seek legal advice, and draft a comprehensive ordinance governing the siting and operations of data centers within the county. This action comes amidst a lack of a specific countywide zoning ordinance for data centers and growing concerns from residents regarding potential impacts on water supply, electricity usage, and noise pollution.

Supervisors, including District 4 Supervisor Garry Seyb, had previously discussed the need for caution, despite Seyb's initial motion to table the vote for clearer definitions of "data center" and "high-density facilities" within the resolution. Lee County Attorney Ross Braden, however, assured the board that the resolution's current language was sufficient. Board Chair Ginger Knisley emphasized that the moratorium is a crucial first step, similar to the process used for a prior solar, wind, and battery storage ordinance, and will lead to public meetings and the development of specific guidelines addressing community concerns like resource capping.

During the meeting, County Engineer Ben Hull identified two active projects potentially impacted: Octopus Investments, LLC, which has purchased the Burlington Hill property for a potential bitcoin mining operation, and GoSolar, LLC, developing a large solar installation in Green Bay Bottoms, with data centers as one of its intended uses. Dustin Wolgemuth, representing Octopus Investments and a Fort Madison resident, spoke to the supervisors, detailing plans for a solar Bitcoin mining operation in Lee County and an investment exceeding $100 million, while also stressing that his company would not deplete local resources.