Charlotte pauses new data center construction for 150 days
The Charlotte City Council has unanimously voted to enact a 150-day moratorium on new data center construction, preventing new project approvals until November 5. This decision follows months of public debate and environmental concerns regarding air quality, water usage, and energy demands of data centers, especially amidst a severe statewide drought.
The Charlotte City Council unanimously passed a 150-day moratorium on new data center construction, effective until November 5. This decision, made during a City Council meeting, means the city will not accept new applications or approve projects for the next five months.
This vote follows an earlier April meeting where the City Council and Mayor Vi Lyles initially voted against pausing data center development. Months of debates and a petition with thousands of signatures opposing a data center near the Reedy Creek Nature Preserve preceded the recent decision. Mayor Lyles, who is not seeking re-election in 2027 and plans to resign on June 30, was part of the earlier vote.
Council member Dimple Ajmera emphasized that concerns about data centers, particularly their environmental impact on air and water quality, are non-partisan issues. Critics have linked data centers' high energy and cooling demands to environmental problems, with Charlotte already facing mandatory stage two water restrictions due to a severe statewide drought. While the moratorium is enacted, it does not apply to projects already approved due to state law constraints.
Charlotte is not alone in pausing data center development, as the city of Durham also enacted a 60-day moratorium after residents in various North Carolina localities voiced similar environmental concerns.