SC county passes third and final reading on data center moratorium

Colleton County Council in South Carolina has officially enacted a six-month moratorium on data center development. This decision, approved after a third and final reading of an ordinance, follows significant citizen opposition and a pending civil lawsuit related to a proposed 800-plus-acre data center in a rural area within the iconic ACE Basin. The moratorium is designed to give the county council, staff, and the Planning Commission adequate time to review and amend the land use code and comprehensive plan, allowing for a more responsible approach to data center siting.

The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), which filed the lawsuit on behalf of two Colleton County landowners, welcomed the moratorium. SELC Policy Advocate Robby Maynor expressed hope that the county would use this period to update its comprehensive plan, incorporating extensive community feedback on growth management and natural resource protection. SELC Senior Attorney Emily Wyche confirmed that their lawsuit, which challenges a previously passed zoning ordinance allowing data centers in rural areas with a “special exception,” will be paused during the moratorium as the county works to update its plans and amend zoning districts.

This move by Colleton County reflects a growing trend, as data center moratoriums are being introduced or passed by local and state governments across the U.S. The article notes similar legislative efforts in the U.S. Senate and the S.C. Legislature, with at least 12 states and 100 local governments enacting or considering such measures as of April 2026. These moratoriums typically aim to address concerns about the massive energy consumption, water usage, and land utilization of data centers, as well as their broader environmental and community impacts.