New Castle County Council unanimously approves data center regulations after hours-long meeting

The New Castle County Council in Delaware unanimously approved new data center regulations after a lengthy public meeting. The regulations, proposed by Councilmember David Carter, include a 1,000-foot buffer zone between data centers and residential areas, restrictions on using open-loop cooling systems, and requirements for developers to update landscaping and buffering. The original draft of the regulations had faced some pushback from other councilmembers, including Janet Kilpatrick, who argued they went too far and could discourage economic investment in the county. Kilpatrick had filed a last-minute amendment to further loosen the restrictions, but withdrew it after facing opposition from other councilmembers. Ultimately, the council passed the regulations 12-0, with one member absent. Councilmember Kevin Caneco, who had supported the regulations from the start, said the top priority should be protecting the health, safety, and welfare of local residents. The regulations do not apply to an existing data center project by Starwood Digital Ventures near Delaware City, which is facing separate permitting issues with the state's Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. Starwood representatives said they are looking forward to moving forward with their project, which they say will bring economic benefits to the county.