Nottingham data center plan may be revived; town weighs 12‑month ban
A developer may revive a controversial data center project in Nottingham, NH, despite strong public opposition and town officials moving to enact a 12-month moratorium. Residents are concerned about water usage, noise, and electricity costs. The town's Planning Board unanimously voted for the moratorium, which will go to a town meeting for voter approval.
Developer Tom Moulton is considering reviving a controversial data center project in Nottingham, New Hampshire, which he had previously withdrawn in May due to significant public opposition. The proposal involves converting a 200,000-square-foot warehouse in the Nottingham Business Park into a data center. Moulton attributes the withdrawal to "misinformation" surrounding the project and emphasizes the economic benefits and minimal environmental impact, citing a closed-loop cooling system for water use.
In response to the potential revival and widespread concern, the Nottingham Planning Board has drafted a 12-month moratorium on data centers, which will be put to a vote at a special town meeting. This action follows a public hearing on July 1 where the board unanimously voted in favor of the ban. The moratorium aims to allow the town time to study the potential land-use, environmental, infrastructure, and fiscal impacts of such developments and to draft specific zoning regulations. A subcommittee has also been formed to focus on data center zoning ordinances.
Public backlash against the project has been fierce, with an online petition garnering over 41,700 signatures. Residents, supported by elected officials like State Sen. Debra Altschiller, D-Stratham, and environmental groups such as the Sierra Club New Hampshire, have expressed deep concerns about the data center's potential impact on water usage (especially for private wells), noise pollution, and rising electricity costs. A grassroots group has formed in Nottingham to actively oppose hyper-scale data center developments across New Hampshire. Sen. Altschiller, who previously sponsored a bill to increase oversight of data centers statewide, plans to reintroduce the legislation.