Dubuque to consider six-month data center moratorium, survey shows residents oppose facilities
Dubuque leaders are considering a six-month moratorium on data center development after a city survey revealed strong resident opposition, with over 75% against such facilities. Residents' primary concerns are energy and water usage and environmental impacts. While no formal data center proposal has been received, the City Council plans to draft a data center ordinance.
Dubuque leaders are poised to consider a six-month moratorium on data centers, prompted by a city survey indicating that more than 75% of residents oppose these facilities. KCRG-TV9's Keegan Turnbough reported on the city's plans to draft a data center ordinance.
Dubuque Mayor Brad Cavanagh expressed growing concern over the lack of safety regulations for companies racing toward new technologies with potentially dangerous implications. Although the city has not received a formal proposal to build a data center, it is proactively moving forward with an ordinance. Florida-based real estate company Karis had approached Dubuque to discuss connecting a possible data center, located east of the Dubuque Regional Airport, to city water and sanitary sewer systems.
However, City Council member Katy Wethal stated she would not support annexing farmland for such a project and would actively fight it, deeming it impossible and unsafe for the community. The city's survey, which gathered thousands of responses, highlighted that over 90% of residents' top concerns regarding data centers are energy and water use and their environmental impacts. Mayor Cavanagh emphasized that any data center built in the community must serve Dubuque's interests.