Data Centers: Daily Notes | August 25, 2026

Wisconsin

Data center development is emerging as a political issue ahead of the November election, with a July Marquette Law School Poll finding that 76% of Wisconsin residents believe the costs of data centers outweigh their benefits.

Fight over data centers shifts into overdrive as midterms get closer

Backlash over data centers has become a central issue in the upcoming midterms as Americans on both sides of the aisle are growing more skeptical.

WCIVAUSTIN DENEAN | The National News Desk

Republican Tom Tiffany and Democrat David Crowley have both sought to address the issue, with Crowley supporting requirements for 100% renewable energy and union labor and Tiffany backing the rollback of state subsidies designed to attract data centers. Both candidates agree that local communities should ultimately decide whether to host data centers, while voters and business leaders remain divided over whether the state should restrict or embrace the industry. Despite the growing debate, data centers are not a top concern for most voters, with only 5% identifying them as their most important issue, well behind cost of living and inflation.

Davidson County, North Carolina

Davidson County, North Carolina commissioners voted against a six-month moratorium on new data center development applications Monday night, following extended debate with residents.

Commissioner Todd Yates questioned the point of a pause given that data centers "cannot be stopped," while other commissioners were divided on whether the moratorium would close off opportunities or whether the county simply needed more time to develop a plan. Several community members said the county lacks any clear structure for handling data center development, with one attendee arguing commissioners couldn't fairly assess the technology's risks and benefits without first taking time to study it.

County leaders said they now plan to gather more information about possible future data center projects in Davidson County. In a separate vote the same night, commissioners also terminated the county's contract for Flock license plate reader cameras after a heated discussion over privacy concerns; Sheriff Richie Simmons said the cameras only capture license plates, not faces or speed, and confirmed the county will stop using them starting Tuesday.

Madison, Arkansas

Madison County, Arkansas unanimously approved a three-year moratorium on data center development at an Aug. 17 Quorum Court meeting, with the ordinance taking immediate effect under an emergency clause.

The moratorium, which runs through Aug. 31, 2029, follows two earlier public hearings before the Madison County Planning Board and is intended to give the county time to investigate data centers, digital asset mining operations and similar large-scale computing facilities, weighing their costs and benefits before adopting permanent rules. The ordinance specifies the moratorium isn't an outright ban, clarifying that its timeframe shouldn't be read as either limiting or allowing data center construction going forward.

Under the ordinance, the county planning board and Quorum Court retain the ability to draft and consider lasting regulations governing data center development during the moratorium period.

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Ozark, Missouri

Ozark, Missouri's Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously passed a recommendation Monday night for new data center regulations, despite no current proposals for such facilities in the city.

The proposed rules would require data centers to obtain a conditional use permit, submit an environmental impact report, disclose the building's size and intended use, and comply with noise regulations, with the city retaining the right to revoke a permit for noncompliance. Community Development Director Randall Whitman said the regulations would add data centers to city zoning in industrial districts, allowing them only after a conditional use permit and public hearing before both the Planning and Zoning Commission and Board of Aldermen. He described the move as a preemptive step meant to protect neighborhoods, surrounding property and the environment before any project is actually proposed.

Ozark's city code currently has no provisions addressing data centers. The recommendation now heads to the Board of Aldermen, which will hold two hearings before a final vote on adoption.

DeSoto County, Florida

DeSoto County, Florida residents got a pitch for data center development from Loudoun County, Virginia's Buddy Rizer at an invite-only meeting Monday, organized by developer DeSoto County Industrial Park Group amid ongoing opposition to its proposed AI data center east of Arcadia.

The ‘Godfather of Data Centers’ Making Offers Big Tech Can’t Refuse

Rizer pointed to Loudoun County's tax base transformation, from 81% residential to 51% commercial revenue after data centers arrived, which he said funded new schools, libraries and fire stations while property taxes fell. DCIP CEO Jon Brown said the company would rely first on reclaimed water from Arcadia's sewage treatment plant, treating groundwater as a last resort, and said the facility plans to run off the grid using infrastructure from a former 340-megawatt power plant on site, a strategy he said predates Florida's recent law requiring data centers to pay their own utility costs.

Doña Ana County, NM

The New Mexico Supreme Court issued two setbacks to Oracle’s Project Jupiter data center, pausing the air-permitting process and halting a scheduled Sept. 14 hearing while environmental challenges proceed.

Project Jupiter Together - Project Jupiter Together

PROJECT JUPITER $4.7 billion in economic benefits, thousands of jobs, less water, and cleaner energy for New Mexico. WHAT DOES […]

Project Jupiter Together

Neighbors of data center ask for new liaison between Meta and Middleton Township – BG Independent News

BG Independent NewsJan Larson McLaughlin

One case challenges emergency authorization for water from a newly constructed well, with the Center for Biological Diversity arguing that the water use does not qualify as an emergency and should be subject to a public hearing. In a separate challenge, New Energy Economy sought information on how the data center would be powered after the state denied the project permission to run a natural gas pipeline through state land; the court paused proceedings after the group argued it had not received key discovery needed for the air-permit hearing.

The hearing officer overseeing the air-permit case has also recused himself, and the New Mexico Environment Department said it will appoint a new officer once the Supreme Court lifts the stay. Oracle maintains that Project Jupiter is meeting permitting requirements and highlights its projected economic benefits, while opponents continue to challenge its water use, power supply and environmental impacts.

Westover, Alabama

Westover City Council unanimously approved a six-month moratorium on data center development amid growing resident concerns over a proposed 437-acre project near Cheshire Drive, giving officials time to review zoning rules, potential community impacts, and conditions that could be imposed on future projects.

The proposal has faced increased scrutiny over how the city approved the property’s rezoning and later allowed data centers as a by-right use in the Employment Center-Industrial district. City records show discussions about a potential data center began in 2024, with the property rezoned in February 2025 and transferred to the project developer in June 2025. Residents have since questioned the transparency of the process and whether adequate public notice was provided for earlier zoning decisions. The moratorium will allow Westover officials to consider stronger regulations and potential financial or other community benefits before deciding how data centers should be handled going forward.

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