Martin County commissioners unanimously move forward with 1-year moratorium on data centers
Martin County commissioners unanimously advanced a proposed one-year moratorium on new data center development while the county studies how to regulate future facilities. A second hearing and vote are scheduled for Oct. 27, while an already-submitted hyperscale data center application would not be affected by the proposed pause.
Martin County commissioners in Florida voted unanimously to advance a proposed one-year moratorium on data center development. Commissioner Edward Ciampi said the pause would give residents and experts time to discuss the potential effects of the facilities, while Commissioner Eileen Vargas said the county could extend the moratorium if additional study time is needed. A second hearing and vote are scheduled for Oct. 27.
Residents raised concerns about wildlife impacts, industrial development on rural land, noise and the amount of water future data centers could use. The county has already received an application for a more than 950,000-square-foot hyperscale data center on property near Kanner Highway west of Interstate 95; because it was submitted before the proposed moratorium, the application would not be covered by the measure.