Maine eyes pause on data centers

The Maine Legislature has advanced a bill proposing the nation's first statewide moratorium on data centers, reflecting escalating community concerns over their energy and water demands. Lawmakers approved the measure, which would halt data center development above a specific size for over a year and establish a council to assist towns in vetting future projects, sending it to Democratic Gov. Janet Mills. The move follows intense local opposition to several data center proposals within the state. Democratic Rep. Melanie Sachs, the bill's sponsor, emphasized that while data centers may have a place in Maine, their benefits to ratepayers, water usage, and local economies have not been adequately demonstrated. The Data Center Coalition, a trade association, countered that the moratorium could deter investment, deprive the state of economic development, and hinder the growth of specialized construction skills. Montana Towers of the Maine Policy Institute echoed these concerns, dismissing opposition as "luddite in nature." Joe Oliva, representing the Maine Broadband Coalition and GrowSmart Maine, supported the moratorium, stressing the need for community input and transparency in the development process. The Maine initiative is part of a broader national trend where local opposition has led to projects being defeated in planning and zoning votes. Similar moratorium proposals have emerged in at least a dozen other states, though none have passed a legislative chamber like Maine's. The article also cites examples from other states, including Ohio, where residents are pursuing a ballot measure to ban hyperscale data centers, and South Dakota, where a one-year moratorium bill failed despite citizen demand due to opposition from power plant owners, developers, and the governor. Festus, Missouri, saw its city council partially replaced due to backlash over a data center project.