Holyoke first in state to ban development of AI data centers
Holyoke, Massachusetts, became the first community in the state to enact a citywide ban on AI data centers over 12 megawatts after weeks of resident opposition to a proposed 20-megawatt facility. The City Council passed the ban in a 9-4 vote, despite the developer, Chestnut River Power and Infrastructure, expressing continued interest in the city.
The Holyoke City Council has voted 9-4 to enact a citywide ban on artificial intelligence (AI) data centers exceeding 12 megawatts, making Holyoke the first community in Massachusetts to implement such a prohibition. The decision followed weeks of intense opposition from residents regarding a proposed 20-megawatt data center project along the Connecticut River. Opponents raised concerns over water pollution, the strain on the city's electrical supply, noise pollution, and potential data privacy issues.
City Council President Tessa Murphy-Romboletti, along with councilors Howard Greaney, Michael Sullivan, and Linda Vacon, voted against the ban, expressing reservations about a permanent prohibition without a defined timeframe for thoughtful regulations. However, councilors like Israel Rivera and Anne Thalheimer pushed for a full ban over a temporary moratorium. Mayor Joshua Garcia, who did not respond to comment requests, had previously stated that the proposed 21-MW project was "small, right-sized" and would not impact the city's water or electric supply, differentiating it from larger "gigawatt-scale projects."
Despite the ban, Ben Marshall, co-managing director with Chestnut River Power and Infrastructure, expressed the developer's commitment to finding a path for a project in Holyoke. He highlighted the city's vacant industrial space, access to locally controlled power through Holyoke Gas & Electric, and community benefits such as $2 million annually in property tax revenue. Marshall also clarified that the estimated 250,000 gallons of daily water usage was preliminary and that Holyoke Water Works indicated the municipal system could accommodate substantial additional capacity.
The ban does not affect the existing Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center, an academic research facility operating since 2012. While Holyoke is the first to enact a full ban, other Massachusetts communities like Mansfield and Lowell have adopted similar restrictions, with Mansfield passing a near-total ban and Lowell implementing a one-year ban earlier this year.