Data Center Proposed for Nottingham Property
Businessman Tom Moulton is proposing a data center project on a 100-plus acre property in Nottingham, New Hampshire, and is seeking feedback from local officials. The project is currently in the concept stage and will be discussed with the Nottingham Planning Board. A lack of specific state-level zoning laws for data centers limits local municipalities' ability to regulate such projects, as a recent bill to grant this authority was tabled.
Businessman Tom Moulton, recognized as the University of New Hampshire’s Paul J. Holloway Entrepreneur of the Year in 2021, is proposing a data center development in Nottingham, New Hampshire. Moulton, who believes data centers are an essential part of the future, is bringing his concept for a facility on a 100-plus acre property on Old Turnpike Road before the Nottingham Planning Board for discussion. The project is still in its early stages, with Moulton exploring the venture on spec without a pre-secured tech firm as a tenant.
The initiative highlights a broader regulatory challenge in New Hampshire: the absence of state enabling statutes that define data centers and allow municipalities to craft specific local zoning ordinances for them. State Representative Hope Damon (D-Croydon) noted that without such state law, cities and towns lack the authority to impose regulations. Damon was involved in a legislative effort, SB 439, to grant this authority, but the bill was reportedly "gutted" by data center advocates in Concord and ultimately tabled this year. Concerns around data centers, which are often warehouse-sized facilities for AI computing, include their significant strain on electricity grids and their demand for massive amounts of water for cooling, sometimes up to 5 million gallons daily. These issues, alongside potential noise pollution, have led to community opposition in other areas, though Moulton suggests society must reconcile with the necessity of such infrastructure.