Louisville Mayor backs local moratorium on data centers

The Louisville Metro Council's Planning and Zoning Committee has approved a six-month moratorium on new data center developments in the city, a move that has received the backing of Mayor Craig Greenberg. This temporary ban is intended to provide the council with time to establish clear and comprehensive regulations for future data center projects.

Mayor Greenberg emphasized the critical need to pass these proposed regulations, which are currently undergoing a public hearing process. The suggested rules include restricting how close data centers can be located to residential areas, schools, and hospitals, as well as limiting generator testing to once per week during business hours.

Concerns about data center development and a perceived lack of transparency from some developers have been voiced by various elected officials, including Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman. The broader context of data center expansion was also highlighted by a recent U.S. Energy Department announcement for a $100 billion data center campus in Paducah, Western Kentucky, situated in Congressman James Comer's district, underscoring the statewide and national attention on data center siting.

Councilwoman Shamika Parrish Wright commented on the timing of Mayor Greenberg's support, noting its appearance after months of the ordinance being tabled and amid weeks of negative publicity. She suggested that the mayor's endorsement came only after she advocated for the item's return to the committee's agenda.