Gage County joins other Nebraska municipalities considering moratoriums on data centers
The Gage County Planning and Zoning Commission is holding a public hearing to discuss a potential moratorium on data center development, driven by local concerns over water usage, power, light pollution, sound, and property values. This discussion follows rumors of a data center project by Tenaska and reflects a statewide trend among Nebraska counties. The commission will make a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors for a final decision.
The Gage County Planning and Zoning Commission is slated to hold a public hearing regarding a potential moratorium on data center development within the county. This action is prompted by rumors of a data center and an accompanying power plant project after land was optioned by private energy developer Tenaska, generating significant local opposition.
Residents like Anna Wolken, who lives near Adams, express major concerns about the environmental impact, specifically water and power consumption, as well as light and sound pollution, fearing that a hyper-scale industrial facility would negatively alter the rural landscape and inhibit local growth. Another resident, Trent Puhalla, voiced worries about decreasing property values if agricultural land is purchased for data center projects. Both residents plan to attend the hearing, advocating for a one-year pause to allow the planning and zoning committee to develop comprehensive regulations.
Gage County Supervisor Emily Haxby clarified that a moratorium is a temporary pause, not a rejection of business, aimed at ensuring regulations protect the health, safety, and welfare of residents while still allowing for responsible development. This local discussion follows similar actions in other Nebraska counties, with Otoe County enacting a moratorium, Lincoln County narrowly rejecting one, and Madison County now requiring special permits for data centers.
The urgency for updated county regulations is partly driven by the recent passage of LB663, a "shot-clock" bill sponsored by Senator Tanya Storer, which mandates specific timelines for county boards to decide on conditional use permit applications. Jon Cannon of the Nebraska Association of County Officials (NACO) emphasized that many existing zoning regulations are outdated, lacking provisions for data centers concerning issues like water and energy consumption. After the public hearing, the Planning and Zoning board will recommend to the Gage County Board of Supervisors, who will then hold their own public hearing and make the final decision.