Dubuque City Council passes temporary moratorium on hyperscale data centers
The Dubuque City Council has approved a temporary six-month moratorium on hyperscale data centers. This immediate hold on large-scale facility applications allows city officials time to draft permanent regulations concerning utility infrastructure, land annexation, and environmental impacts. The council aims to develop comprehensive standards during this period, with the option to extend the moratorium if needed.
The Dubuque City Council has officially enacted a temporary six-month moratorium on hyperscale data center development, effective immediately. This decision halts all new applications for large-scale data facilities and utility requests, allowing city officials to formulate permanent regulations. The move comes after city leaders refined a previously proposed ordinance to address concerns regarding facility size thresholds and annexation policies.
According to the newly adopted ordinance, a hyperscale data center is defined by several criteria: exceeding 100,000 square feet, requiring over 75 megawatts of electricity, using 50 gallons per minute or more of water for cooling, or containing 5,000 or more server units. Meeting any one of these thresholds triggers the moratorium.
City Attorney Crenna Brumwell explained that the temporary pause is crucial for evaluating utility infrastructure and land annexation, thereby protecting the municipality from potential legal risks. Brumwell noted that while an outright ban was considered, it was deemed too legally risky and costly. Mayor Brad Cavanagh expressed confidence that a final regulatory framework would be in place within the six-month period, though Council Member Katy Wethal raised concerns about the timeline's sufficiency amidst evolving state and federal regulations.
During the moratorium, city staff will conduct technical studies on the impacts of data centers on water, energy, and infrastructure, using these findings to draft comprehensive standards for future development proposals.