Flint City Council approves one-year data center moratorium
The Flint City Council has approved a one-year moratorium on data center developments within the city. This pause will allow city officials to review zoning codes and ordinances to recommend future regulations. The decision comes amid national backlash against data centers due to their high electricity and water consumption.
The Flint City Council voted 7-1 to enact a 12-month moratorium on data center developments, halting all permit applications, site plans, and construction for new projects. The city's planning and development department, along with the legal department, will utilize this period to review existing zoning codes and ordinances, with the goal of recommending specific regulations for data centers.
The moratorium was prompted by growing concerns across the country regarding the environmental impact of data centers, specifically their substantial electricity and water requirements, and their contribution to atmospheric warming. The moratorium will automatically expire after 12 months unless the council decides to extend it.
Separately, Republican State Sen. Jim Runestad recently introduced four bills in Lansing, Michigan, proposing a statewide one-year moratorium on data center projects. These bills are currently under consideration by the Senate Committee on Government Operations.