Data Center Bans Spread As Manchester And Upper Township Approve Restrictions
Manchester and Upper Township in New Jersey have approved measures restricting data center facilities, contributing to a growing trend of local communities adopting such bans. Linden City Council is also expected to consider an ordinance to prohibit data centers due to noise and environmental concerns. Advocates are pushing for a statewide moratorium, but the governor has resisted.
Manchester and Upper Township in New Jersey have both approved measures restricting data center development, adding to a list of at least 90 communities across the state that have adopted similar restrictions. Supporters of these local bans cite concerns over energy use, water consumption, noise pollution, and overall quality-of-life impacts.
Advocacy groups are actively lobbying for a statewide moratorium on new data center construction, although Governor Mikie Sherrill has currently resisted these calls. Separately, the Linden City Council is preparing to review a potential ordinance that would ban data centers across all zoning districts within the city, with officials citing residents' protection from noise and environmental issues as the primary motivation.
The article also briefly mentions unrelated news snippets about Amazon drone delivery in South Jersey, Meta's legal challenges, and a new New Jersey law requiring data centers to report energy and water usage.