Lochbuie approves five-year data center moratorium, making it the longest active pause in Colorado
The Town of Lochbuie, Colorado, approved a five-year moratorium on new data center developments, making it the longest active pause in the state. Residents expressed significant concerns about water usage, electricity demands, and potential environmental impacts from data centers. The moratorium was enacted proactively, as no developers had yet approached Lochbuie, though a neighboring town has a large data center project planned.
The Town of Lochbuie, Colorado, located on the northeastern outskirts of the Denver metro area, has officially enacted a five-year moratorium on new data center facilities. The Town Board voted 6-1 to approve the ordinance, introduced by Mayor Jamie Jeffery, which temporarily halts the acceptance and review of applications for data centers. This decision marks the longest active data center moratorium in Colorado.
Approximately 20 residents attended the Town Board meeting, with all voicing strong opposition and concerns about the potential negative impacts of data centers on their community. Residents, including Maxanne Shuck and Marylou Withrow, highlighted issues such as significant water consumption by data centers, especially amidst active drought conditions in Colorado, and increased electricity demands. Some residents even advocated for a permanent ban on these facilities. Mayor Jeffery, who has served on the Town Board for eight years, echoed these concerns, emphasizing the town's ongoing discussions about water availability and resource management.
Although no data center developers have approached Lochbuie directly, Mayor Jeffery noted that Cielo Digital Infrastructure has announced plans for a large 500-acre, 750-megawatt Cielo Hudson Data Center campus in neighboring Hudson. The proactive moratorium is intended to give Lochbuie time to consider how it might regulate data centers if they decide to allow them in the future. The initiative garnered substantial community support, with Mayor Jeffery receiving over 60 emails and more than 400 residents sending emails to the Town Board through an Action Network campaign organized by the nonprofit With Many Hands.