Manatee County pumps brakes on data centers, joining Hernando and Pasco

Manatee County's Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a one-year moratorium on new data center development at a July 28 meeting, joining nearby Pasco, Sarasota, and Lakeland in implementing similar freezes across the Tampa Bay region. The pause specifically targets "large-load customers" such as AI facilities and Bitcoin mining operations, which are noted for their significant demands on water and power resources.

The decision directs county staff to review and potentially revise the land development code to address regulatory gaps concerning data centers. Commissioner Amanda Ballard emphasized that the move allows the county to assess public health, infrastructure, and environmental needs before further development. The Florida Water and Pollution Control Operators Association highlighted that hyperscale data centers can consume up to 5 million gallons of water daily, equivalent to a town of 30,000-50,000 people.

Residents, including Mark Van De Ree and Martha Jacobs, expressed gratitude for the county's action. Jacobs specifically voiced concerns about the impact of data centers on already-strained water resources in West Manatee, which is currently experiencing extreme drought conditions. The moratorium, proposed by Commissioners Ballard, Tal Siddique, and Bob McCann, will undergo public hearings before the Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners prior to final approval. The article also notes that Florida gubernatorial front-runner Byron Donalds opposes such moratoriums and has received contributions from data center backers, including Fort Meade LLC, which is developing a data center campus in Polk County.