Johnson County seeks to form ‘working group’ on data center issues

Johnson County, Iowa, is establishing a countywide working group to address data center development, aiming to proactively set guidelines before any projects are proposed. The Johnson County Board of Supervisors hosted a meeting attended by representatives from various government agencies, including city councils from North Liberty, Iowa City, Coralville, and Tiffin, as well as the Iowa City Community School District.

Nancy Bird, president and CEO of Greater Iowa City Inc., proposed the "data center principles work group." She emphasized that the group would not create binding regulations but would develop guiding principles for transparency, water and energy stewardship, infrastructure impacts, fiscal considerations, land use compatibility, and regional benefit-sharing. Bird noted the increasing importance of the issue to the business community and the interconnected nature of data center impacts across jurisdictional boundaries within the county, advocating for a coordinated regional approach to prevent cities from competing or facing adverse outcomes.

The initiative follows Johnson County's imposition of a moratorium on data center applications in November 2025, which is slated to expire in November, and the planned development of a countywide data center zoning ordinance by Johnson County’s Planning and Development. Discussions at the meeting highlighted concerns over available water resources, referencing a USGS study indicating strain on the Silurian Aquifer, which underlies several counties in the region. Participants also identified the need for subject-matter and legal expertise regarding electric capacity and regulatory authority, along with addressing potential conflicts of interest, such as utility partners’ involvement.

Attendees were informed about the national surge in data centers and a statewide Iowa poll showing significant opposition to data center development. While some expressed a desire to keep