Virginia

SB253 - 2026 Regular Session | LIS

LIS

HB1393 - 2026 Regular Session | LIS

LIS

A Dominion Energy-backed bill landed on Gov. Abigail Spanberger's desk after the legislature rejected several of her amendments aimed at stronger ratepayer protections. The legislation would assign certain grid upgrade costs to data centers and allow Dominion to spend $900,000 a mile burying local distribution lines.

The State Corporation Commission found the cost-shift would save a typical residential customer $5.52 a month while raising data center bills by 15 percent. Spanberger had proposed giving the SCC sole discretion over the undergrounding program, halving the allowed spending increase, and raising the opt-out threshold from 200 to 10,000 employees. The legislature rejected all three. The governor now has thirty days to sign or veto.

Prince William County, Virginia

The developer behind the Digital Gateway data center project is ending its appeal, putting the world's largest proposed data center corridor in deeper peril.

The project would span over 22 million square feet across more than 2,100 acres near Gainesville. A unanimous March 31 Court of Appeals ruling halted the project, and the Board of County Supervisors withdrew from the appeal on April 15 after spending $1.72 million in taxpayer funds. With the developer now also stepping away, the project's path forward has effectively closed.

PW Digital Gateway

Prince William County is located on the Potomac River in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States.

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Manitowoc County, Wisconsin

Manitowoc County Board voted unanimously to impose an 18-month moratorium on data centers, following a standing-room-only meeting. The moratorium allows the county to gather more information and prepare proper zoning ordinances should companies seek to build data centers in the area.

The three towns of Mishicot, Two Rivers, and Two Creeks had requested the moratorium after Cloverleaf Infrastructure and NSI Land Services approached several local farms with land purchase offers. The county's Planning and Park Commission had already voted unanimously to advance the measure in March.

Weaverville, North Carolina

Weaverville's Town Council unanimously voted to block data centers and crypto mining operations, approving a code change that classifies both as "noxious uses," described as something harmful to health or the environment if not properly regulated.

North Carolina is already home to several large data centers, and more are attempting to set up shop across the state.

Notice: Public Hearings to be held April 27, 2026 - Town of Weaverville

2026-4-27 Notice of PH – Update of Comprehensive Land Use Plan 2026-4-27 Notice of PH – Crypto Mining Data Center PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that the Weaverville Town Council […]

Town of WeavervilleTamara Mercer

South Carolina

A sweeping legislative effort to put guidelines around future data center development advanced to the full Senate for debate. S. 867 would create a framework for permitting, construction, and oversight of data centers, which number more than 4,000 nationally.

With nine days left in the session, the bill is unlikely to pass this year, but lawmakers said getting it out for full debate is important. The legislation would require utility rate structures to be adapted for data centers as a new customer class while protecting existing ratepayers.

Hermantown, Minnesota

Google is seeking a $33.5 million tax abatement from Hermantown for its proposed data center, while also pledging to spend roughly $130 million on sewer and water infrastructure to reach the rural, heavily forested site. The City Council will vote May 4 on a development agreement.

The abatement would be spread over 28 years with a cap of $80 million. The first phase is expected to cost $650 million, with 10 miles of new water main and 4.5 miles of sewer extending to the site. Google would also pay $42 million to the school district over 28 years and create 100 jobs at $75,000 or more. Residents and an environmental nonprofit are suing the city over what they call an inadequate environmental review.

Cassville, Wisconsin

Cleanview

Residents of this southwest Wisconsin town voted 44-0 to ban data centers inside a town garage, rejecting an anonymous developer's billion-dollar proposal that would have consumed roughly 500 acres of the Driftless Area.

The unidentified developer was drawn by proximity to the Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line, and the project would require 400 to 500 megawatts. Cassville's new ordinance prohibits data centers for up to two years and blocks land use changes without the town board's approval. The developer is also considering sites in Indiana and North Dakota.

Kenilworth, New Jersey

CoreWeave's $1.8 billion AI data center is under construction in Kenilworth on the site of a former Merck headquarters, and residents say they only learned about it in recent weeks. A petition calling for construction to be stopped has drawn over 4,000 signatures.

The facility could require up to 250 megawatts when fully operational. CoreWeave purchased the former Merck property for $322 million and was approved for $250 million in state tax credits. The Kenilworth Planning Board unanimously approved the project in May 2025 with no public comment. Construction began in September and is expected to be fully operational by early 2027.

Monticello, Minnesota

Data Centers | Monticello, MN

Learn more about proposed private data center developments in our community and the City’s role in the land use process.

Monticello Minnesota HomepageGovernment Websites by CivicPlus®

Monticello's City Council approved an ordinance establishing guidelines for potential data center development after a nearly three-hour meeting where residents spoke largely against the plan.

The ordinance comes after roughly ten months of planning work. Residents cited concerns about water, electricity, noise, and property values. A last-minute amendment increased setbacks to 300 feet with full visual screening, or 700 feet without.

Bowie County, Texas

TexAmericas Center and Potentia Development unveiled "Project Big Pine", a planned 500-acre, $3.5 billion AI and data campus in the Texarkana region designed for hyperscale data centers and power-intensive industrial users.

The project would use a behind-the-meter power system with battery storage, with a 345-kilovolt transmission line adjacent to the property and a target energization timeline of 24 to 30 months. TexAmericas Center is the sole local permitting authority for its property, which developers say can cut 12 to 18 months from traditional timelines. The campus would create approximately 120 permanent jobs.

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Trying to keep up with the main players in the STR game? Know your councilmembers, commissioners, committee chairs, and key staff that are part of the process.

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