Salem Latest Community To Try And Keep Out Data Centers
Salem, Massachusetts, is proposing an outright ban on data centers, following a trend of communities in the state opposing these facilities. Mayor Dominick Pangallo introduced the ordinance, seeking to establish local control and avoid potential lawsuits from developers. This local action aligns with a statewide executive order from Governor Healey requiring local community approval for large data center permits.
Salem, Massachusetts, is moving to ban data centers, joining a growing number of communities in the state opposing these facilities. Mayor Dominick Pangallo introduced an ordinance to implement an outright ban after city officials discovered a previously pitched "IT facility" in Shetland Park was actually intended to be a data center. Pangallo emphasized the need for local control over such developments to avoid future lawsuits from developers.
This local initiative follows a recent data center moratorium enacted in Lowell, another Massachusetts city. Furthermore, Governor Maura Healey last week issued an executive order preventing state agencies from approving permits for large data centers unless they first obtain local community approval, indicating a broader state-level push for local oversight on data center development.