Urbana passes moratorium on new data centers, leaving $1B proposal in limbo

Urbana, Ohio has passed a 12-month moratorium on new data centers to assess their potential impacts, leaving a $1 billion data center proposal from Thor Equities and CyrusOne in limbo. The project, known as the Urbana Technology Hub, would construct a 460,000 square-foot data center near the Rittal plant. While the developers stated they followed regulations, residents voiced concerns about the project's water and energy usage, as well as its potential impact on the nearby Cedar Bog Nature Preserve, a sensitive wetland area. The Urbana City Council voted 6-1 to pass the moratorium, stating their responsibility is to make thoughtful decisions for the community.