Linn County data center moratorium approved: How the board got to 2-1, and what happens next

The Linn County Board of Supervisors voted 2-1 to enact an 18-month moratorium on new applications to rezone unincorporated county property for its EU-3 large-scale data center zoning district. Supervisors Brandy Z. Meisheid and Kirsten Running-Marquardt supported the measure, while Supervisor Sami Scheetz opposed it. The moratorium, set to run through January 1, 2028, is intended as a "pause" to allow the county to gather more data and reassess its capacity to sustain rapid data center development.

Ms. Meisheid emphasized that the moratorium is not anti-data center but necessary due to the significant growth, citing proposals for up to 12 data centers in Cedar Rapids (linked to QTS and Google) and six near Palo. Concerns were raised about the environmental impact and electricity demands, with Ms. Running-Marquardt specifically linking proposed data centers to Alliant Energy's planned 720-megawatt natural gas plant, which she said would produce substantial air pollution and whose costs would be borne by ratepayers. She also highlighted potential water usage of "10 to 12 million gallons of water a day" by a Google-linked project from the Cedar River.

Supervisor Scheetz argued against the moratorium, noting the board had recently adopted a comprehensive data center ordinance in February and that the moratorium would suspend it before it could be tested. He warned that it might push development to jurisdictions with weaker regulations. Opponents of the moratorium, including union representatives and developer Jim Condon, voiced concerns about potential economic costs and job losses, asserting that existing ordinances already address water and power issues. Supporters, including groups like Save Morgan Valley, called for responsible planning and protection of communities over corporate interests.