St. Charles County considers data center moratorium
A bill proposing a six-month moratorium on large-scale data centers has been introduced to the St. Charles County Council. The proposed moratorium aims to halt new data center proposals and expansions while the county studies their impact. If passed, the county departments will jointly evaluate the potential effects on health, infrastructure, and quality of life.
The St. Charles County Council is considering a bill to enact a six-month moratorium on large-scale data center developments. The proposed measure, introduced at a recent council meeting, seeks to temporarily halt new proposals and expansions for data centers exceeding five megawatts of electrical demand or 100,000 square feet in size, including multiple buildings functioning as a single operation.
The moratorium's primary purpose is to allow county officials to study the potential impacts of data centers on local health, infrastructure, and residents' quality of life. During this period, the Department of Public Health, Information Systems Department, and Department of Community Development would jointly conduct an evaluation. Following their study, these departments are tasked with submitting a written report to the County government, including recommended amendments for future data center regulations.
Initially sponsored by two council members, the entire council has since requested to be added as sponsors, indicating broad support for the initiative. The bill also includes provisions for the council to extend the moratorium if additional time is deemed necessary to complete the comprehensive studies.