Pasco County considers data center moratorium as pushback across the Tampa Bay area grows

Lakeland City commissioners recently advanced a moratorium on data centers, and Pasco County commissioners are set to consider a similar measure. During a public hearing prelude, Pasco County residents expressed nearly unanimous support for a moratorium, citing concerns over the region's fragile water supply and unique geological and environmental characteristics. This reflects growing pushback across the Tampa Bay area, with other counties like Citrus, Hernando, and Pinellas also bringing the issue before their respective commissions.

A South Florida developer, who proposes a smaller 20-megawatt data center in Pasco off I-75, advocates for nuance in any moratorium. He notes that such projects are much smaller than hyperscale centers, which can require millions of gallons of water annually, and supports regulations against large data center companies. Any moratorium in Pasco, similar to the one recently enacted in Citrus County, would be short-lived, likely for a year, to allow county staff time to draft new, comprehensive regulations for data center development. The public will have another opportunity to weigh in at an upcoming Pasco County Commission meeting.