Durham County leaders weigh data center moratorium
Durham County leaders are weighing a proposed 32-month moratorium on data center projects larger than 100,000 square feet. Residents are pushing for the moratorium due to concerns about energy, water usage, and air pollution, while some commissioners are wary of potential impacts on Research Triangle Park. The decision process required an extended meeting due to high public interest.
Durham County leaders held a public meeting to discuss a proposed 32-month moratorium on data center development. The large crowd and intense public interest led commissioners to extend their meeting until midnight to allow for full deliberation. Residents voiced significant concerns regarding data centers' high energy and water usage, as well as potential air pollution.
The proposed moratorium specifically targets projects exceeding 100,000 square feet, allowing smaller data centers to continue development, particularly within areas like Research Triangle Park (RTP). Opponents, including some community members and a representative from RTP, argued that the county needs time to develop strong ordinances regulating all data centers and to study their full impacts, citing North Carolina communities' efforts in regulation. Some commissioners, however, expressed worries about the moratorium's potential negative impact on RTP, which hosts 400 companies and 55,000 employees.
If approved, the moratorium would be in effect until May 2027. During this period, the county plans to study data center impacts, review regulatory approaches in other North Carolina communities, and increase community engagement. The commissioners were still meeting to consider the proposal and potential amendments at the time of the report.