Northampton seeking residents for Data Center Select Committee
Northampton is recruiting residents for a Select Committee that will study data centers and recommend regulations for their construction and operation. City officials are also preparing a public hearing on a proposed one-year moratorium while the committee evaluates environmental, power-grid, water, and community impacts.
Northampton officials are seeking residents with expertise in power systems, renewable energy, data center operations, water conservation, and hydrology to serve on a Data Center Select Committee. The committee would define different types of data centers, study their potential effects on the city, gather community input, and recommend future regulations.
The initiative follows resident concerns about data center development and calls from some constituents for a ban. Council President Rachel Maiore, Councilor Laurie Loisel, Councilor Gwen Nabad, and Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra sponsored the committee proposal. The city plans to hold a public hearing through the Planning Board and the City Council's Legislative Matters Subcommittee on a potential one-year construction moratorium, which Maiore expects to pass. The committee is expected to report recommendations by April 1, 2027, but officials have not decided whether Northampton should allow, restrict, or prohibit data centers.