Northern Colorado communities weigh data center moratoriums
Loveland and Berthoud approved 12-month moratoriums on new large-scale data centers while studying their potential water use, electricity demand and building impacts. In Weld County, residents are collecting signatures for referendums on a planned Global AI data center and future data center development.
Loveland City Council approved a 12-month moratorium on new large-scale data centers in September, with Mayor Patrick McFall saying the pause will allow the city to reassess regulations written in 2018 and examine water and electricity demands. Berthoud later approved a similar moratorium, with Mayor William Karspeck raising questions about water consumption, electrical capacity and possible building standards.
In Weld County, resident Patricia Nelson-Garcia and a citizen-led group are pursuing two referendums. One would allow voters to decide the future of the planned Global AI data center, while the other would require voter approval for future data centers or expansions. The group plans to collect signatures, but no referendum has yet been placed before voters.