This Nevada city is the first to pause new data centers

The Reno City Council voted 6-1 to adopt a temporary moratorium on new data center applications, making it the first local government in Nevada to do so. The decision, made during a packed, emotional seven-hour meeting, bans conditional use permits for data centers until a final vote on extending the pause on June 1. Community members and environmental activists, including Debra Gallet and Olivia Tanager of Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter, largely supported the pause, citing concerns about resource strain and advocating for long-term regulations over business needs. Councilmember Naomi Duerr emphasized the need for action to prevent a "free-for-all" regarding data center development in Northern Nevada. Dissenting Councilmember Kathleen Taylor preferred fast-tracking a city code amendment for data center regulations instead. The moratorium does not affect four data centers already in the permitting pipeline, and the council continues to pursue a city code amendment for long-term regulatory measures. Concerns about electricity demand were highlighted, with NV Energy facing unprecedented power requests from tech companies that could triple its current peak load. Water usage, particularly evaporative cooling, was also a point of contention, although industry representatives note a shift to closed-loop systems. Rob Benner of the Northern Nevada Building and Construction Trades Council and Tray Abney of the Nevada Data Center Alliance expressed concerns that a blanket ban sends a negative message to businesses, despite acknowledging the need for responsible resource stewardship and advocating for projects that meet high standards.