MAINE

Data Centers: Daily Notes | April 2, 2026

Maine poised to become the first state to freeze large data center construction. Huron County expands moratorium from six months to three years. Charlotte residents petition against facility near nature preserve.

STRisker - Short-term rental and data center regulationsDane Artisola

The Maine House voted in favor of a bill establishing a temporary moratorium on data center construction through November 2027. The legislation would require the Department of Energy Resources to create the Maine Data Center Coordination Council to ensure the state's regulatory framework is ready for the industry.

Maine currently has no operating data centers, though proposals exist including one at the Jay Mill site. The bill faces additional votes in both chambers.

LD 307 Concept Draft Amendment "Resolve, to Establish the Maine Artificial Intelligence Data Center Coordination Council"

MINNESOTA

State lawmakers are pushing legislation requiring hyperscale data centers and other major water users to obtain individual water permits rather than drawing through municipal permits.

Senate and House bills, sponsored by Sen. Ann Johnson Stewart (DFL-Minnetonka) and Rep. Kristi Pursell (DFL-Northfield), would apply to operations consuming more than 100 million gallons annually or more than 50 percent of a city's authorized water use. Proponents say the measures would enforce state rules prioritizing household drinking water over industrial use and increase transparency by requiring monthly water-use reporting. The DNR said it isn't currently set up to issue separate permits and would need to modify its permit program.

BANGOR, Maine

Bangor city councilors are fast-tracking an ordinance to pause data center development for six months while the city updates its Land Development Code. A final vote is set for April 13, skipping the first reading due to what city officials called the "emergency nature" of the issue. A sudden influx of development pressure from data centers is driving the urgency, though no applications have been filed.

The Bangor Water District general manager sent a letter supporting the pause, saying it would allow time to understand water consumption needs. If passed, the freeze remains in effect for 180 days or until zoning amendments take effect, whichever comes first. Data center proposals in Wiscasset and Lewiston were effectively killed late last year following resident backlash.

HABERSHAM COUNTY, Georgia

Unified Development Ordinance Update - Habersham County

Habersham CountySouthfire Media

Habersham County is revising its proposed Unified Development Ordinance to require Special Use Permits for all data center proposals. Each project would need approval from both the Planning Commission and Board of Commissioners before moving forward.

The county cannot legally prohibit data centers entirely, but officials are evaluating additional safeguards including minimum standards and other requirements. Data centers have generated considerable public discussion during the ordinance process. A town hall on April 13 at the Ruby Fulbright Aquatic Center will present recent updates and allow residents to provide input before the Board of Commissioners considers adoption.

WELD COUNTY, Colorado

Weld County commissioners approved Ordinance 2026-01, updating land use code to allow data centers in unincorporated areas with new requirements tied to water, energy, and noise. The rules mandate proof of water supply, a "Will Serve" letter for electricity, and noise limits capped at 65 decibels at property lines.

Projects in light industrial zones require Use by Special Review; medium and heavy industrial zones undergo Site Plan Review. Data centers are prohibited in agricultural zones. More than 25 residents testified during the hearing, raising concerns about long-term impacts to water resources and nearby communities.

MASSILLON, Ohio

Massillon City Council unanimously approved a 180-day moratorium on data center development within city limits. The freeze blocks all zoning, building, and other permits for data center proposals while the city reviews its zoning code.

Ohio has over 100 existing data centers and 80 more planned, primarily in metropolitan areas. The city hired attorney Terry Seeberger to review zoning recommendations, and council is expected to allocate up to $15,000 from its professional services fund for the work. Nearby Plain and Perry townships have enacted their own temporary moratoriums.

LOWHILL TOWNSHIP, Pennsylvania

Lowhill Township supervisors adopted a 23-page ordinance regulating data centers, officially titled "Digital Infrastructure Facility," permitting them as a conditional use in the Regional Use Overlay 2 district.

The ordinance, effective immediately, sets requirements for setback, noise, building height, water, and electrical demand. Applicants must submit an electrical utility impact study and a water feasibility study, and all facilities must employ closed-loop cooling systems. Prior to the new rules, data centers fell under an "any other use" category in the Northern Lehigh Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plan.

📑 Industry Trend

Stanford Report: Data Centers Reshaping Power and Water Systems Across the West

A comprehensive report from Stanford's "& the West" project examines how data centers are straining electricity grids and water suplies across western states. Data centers consume 7.4 percent of Arizona's electricity and 11.4 percent of Oregon's. Nearly 60 facilities in Phoenix use approximately 177 million gallons of water daily. The Salt River Project, which serves 1.1 million customers in Phoenix, has 7,000 megawatts of data center requests in its pipeline.

Nationally, data center water use tripled from 5.6 billion gallons in 2014 to 17.4 billion gallons by 2023, according to the Department of Energy. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory estimates data centers consumed 4.4 percent of the nation's electricity in 2022 and projects that figure to reach 6.7 to 12 percent by 2028. In Oregon's Morrow County, Amazon avoided $83.9 million in taxes over 15 years while paying $14.5 million in fees and contributions. Santa Clara now houses about 60 data centers, up from a handful two decades ago, accounting for roughly 60 percent of the municipal utility's power sales.

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