Costilla County, South Fork getting ahead of AI data centers

Local governments in Colorado's San Luis Valley, specifically Costilla County and the town of South Fork, are proactively addressing potential artificial intelligence data center developments by implementing moratoriums. Costilla County's Planning Commission recently approved a year-long moratorium, which now proceeds to the county commissioners for final approval. Simultaneously, the town of South Fork's Board of Trustees passed a similar year-long moratorium in June, and its planning and zoning board is hosting public hearings to gather input for devising specific zoning regulations.

Officials, including Costilla County Planning Commissioner Joseph Quintana and Commissioner Frank Vigil, emphasized that these measures are designed to "get ahead before a problem develops" and to create thoughtful ordinances that reflect public sentiment and protect the environment, citing that current codes lack any mention of "data center." Saguache County previously initiated a similar moratorium.

The proactive stance is driven by the San Luis Valley's appeal to developers, thanks to its fiber networks, broadband capacity, affordable land, and underutilized energy potential from solar production. Lindsay Rogers of Western Resources Advocates warned that developers often target rural communities perceived to have fewer regulatory hurdles. Eric Eriksen, CEO of SLV Rural Electric Cooperative, indicated that declining agricultural energy demand creates an opportunity for the utility to serve "rural data centers" ranging from 50 kilowatts to 50 megawatts, utilizing the Valley's existing, underutilized infrastructure.