Maine Governor Vetoes Landmark Legislation to Temporarily Ban Data Centers

Maine Governor Janet Mills vetoed a landmark bill on April 24 that sought to impose a temporary moratorium on new artificial intelligence data centers exceeding 20 megawatts until November 2027. The legislation, titled "An Act to Establish the Maine Data Center Coordination Council and Place a Temporary Limitation on Certain Data Centers," aimed to address concerns about the environmental impact and electricity rates associated with large data centers. Governor Mills, a Democrat, expressed support for the general idea of a moratorium, acknowledging the adverse impacts observed in other states. However, she specifically criticized the bill's final wording for failing to exempt a particular data center project in the Town of Jay. Mills highlighted that this $550 million project in Jay, located in Franklin County, has garnered strong local support and is vital for economic redevelopment following the closure of the Androscoggin Mill in 2023. She noted the project is expected to create over 800 construction jobs and at least 100 permanent high-paying jobs, along with substantial property tax revenue. Despite the veto, Governor Mills intends to issue an executive order to create a council, similar to one proposed in the rejected bill, to investigate the broader impacts of data centers across Maine. State Representative Melanie Sachs, the Democratic sponsor of the vetoed bill, voiced strong disapproval of the governor's decision, stating it was "simply wrong." Sachs emphasized that thousands of Maine residents have expressed concerns about energy affordability and urged legislative action to pause such projects, asserting that Mills disregarded the advice of her own AI task force and the will of the majority of Maine people.