Data center moratorium repealed in Oliver County

Oliver County commissioners recently repealed a six-month moratorium on data center development during a special meeting, which reportedly excluded some members of the public. The decision, made on Thursday evening, now permits companies to apply for industrial zoning for data center projects within the county. Following the lifting of the moratorium, Applied Digital, an AI data center company that already operates a site in Ellendale, submitted an application to rezone a plot of land from agricultural to industrial. The county is expected to hold hearings to evaluate whether to approve this proposed project.