Scarborough Town Council approves data center moratorium
The Scarborough Town Council has approved a 180-day moratorium on data center construction following a rejected proposal by developer Daniel Dickinson. Residents and council members expressed concerns over environmental impact and noise, despite the absence of existing data centers in town. The moratorium takes immediate effect and applies retroactively to proposals submitted since April 1.
The Scarborough Town Council in Maine has enacted a 180-day moratorium on new data center construction, effective immediately and retroactively to April 1 proposals. The decision came after local residents and councilor Jon Anderson voiced significant concerns about the potential environmental impact and noise pollution from such facilities, citing the town's proximity to marshes and wetlands.
Developer Daniel Dickinson had submitted plans for a 140,000-square-foot "Scarborough Technology Park" on a 52-acre lot. However, Scarborough officials rejected his proposal in April, deeming it incomplete. Dickinson's lawyer, Greg Braun, argued that his client purchased the property in 2022 and the area had prior construction approval, asserting that all discussed impacts were prospective. Town leaders countered that the existing approval did not specifically cover data center developments, which have become a contentious issue nationwide.