Linn County Supervisors to consider 18-month data center moratorium
Linn County Supervisors in Iowa are set to consider an 18-month moratorium on new large-scale data centers. This potential pause, effective until January 1, 2028, follows a recently approved ordinance requiring water use agreements and economic benefits. The board aims to re-evaluate the impacts of data centers on infrastructure, water resources, and land use.
Linn County Supervisors in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, are slated to deliberate an 18-month moratorium on new large-scale data center developments within the county's unincorporated areas. The proposed pause, extending until January 1, 2028, comes shortly after the board implemented a new data center ordinance and a $60,000 application fee for developers.
According to the resolution, the Supervisors believe that new information has emerged regarding the significant impacts of these facilities on public and electrical infrastructure, water resources, emergency response, transportation, and long-range land use planning. The board aims to conduct a more thorough evaluation of these issues and enhance coordination with various stakeholders, including municipalities, utility providers, state agencies, and regional planning organizations.
The potential moratorium is designed to specifically target new projects in unincorporated regions of Linn County and would not affect existing data center developments or those located within city limits, such as a prospective project in Palo.