Northwest Iowa’s Emmet County passes one-year data center moratorium
Emmet County, Iowa, has enacted a one-year moratorium on new data center developments to allow officials time to establish regulations. Residents expressed concerns regarding data centers' electricity and water usage. The county aims to develop a data center ordinance similar to existing policies in other Iowa counties.
The Emmet County Board of Supervisors in Northwest Iowa unanimously approved a one-year moratorium on new data center developments. Supervisor Lisa Hansen, chair of the board, stated that this pause provides the county with time to develop necessary rules and regulations for data centers, noting that 116 larger data centers are already present in 14 different areas across Iowa.
Hansen clarified that no companies have yet contacted the county with plans for a data center. However, residents have voiced concerns regarding the potential impact of data centers on electricity consumption, water usage, especially during droughts, and the risk of power blackouts. The county intends to use this moratorium period to first finalize an ordinance for solar panel placement outside cities and towns, and then proceed with establishing comprehensive guidelines for a data center ordinance.