Data center freeze approved unanimously by Asbury City Council
The Asbury City Council unanimously enacted a 180-day moratorium on data centers to study their impacts and develop a permanent ordinance. This action follows the Dubuque County Board of Supervisors' steps to explore a countywide data center ban, which is currently under its own 12-month moratorium.
The Asbury City Council has unanimously approved a 180-day moratorium on data center development, effective immediately. City officials stated that this pause is intended to allow time for studying, reviewing, and gathering public input before a permanent ordinance is implemented.
City leaders cited a need to evaluate the potential impacts of data centers on land, infrastructure, and the environment. No public comments were made regarding data centers during Tuesday's meeting where the vote took place.
This decision comes shortly after the Dubuque County Board of Supervisors initiated steps to hire a consultant to investigate a potential countywide ban on data centers. Dubuque County is currently operating under a 12-month moratorium on data center construction. County officials are weighing environmental and aviation concerns against a projected $6.2 billion local economic impact, with the Dubuque County Zoning Board planning to further develop its own data center ordinance on July 21.