Data Centers: Daily Notes // January 29, 2026
States take action on data centers. Georgia considers historic ban; Oklahoma proposes 3-year pause; Wisconsin approves Microsoft expansion; Sand Springs advances despite opposition; Colorado, Pennsylvania craft new rules; DeKalb delays again. READ MORE.
Key Takeaways (At a Glance) 🔽
- State and local governments across the U.S. are accelerating moratoriums and zoning restrictions on new data center development.
- Energy, water demand, and community QoL are driving regulatory action, with officials pausing projects to study long-term infrastructure impacts.
- Community opposition is shaping outcomes, even in markets offering major investment and job creation.
- Some jurisdictions are moving forward with large-scale projects, while others are delaying or rejecting proposals outright.
🔖Georgia
Georgia lawmakers introduced news bills targeting data center growth, including the nation's first proposed statewide construction ban.
State Rep. Ruwa Romman's House Bill 1012 would halt all new construction until March 2027. The moratorium comes after the Public Service Commission approved 10,000 megawatts of new electricity capacity in December, with data centers accounting for majority of that demand. Separately, Sen. Bernie Sanders also proposed a national moratorium for data centers the same month.
Cities and counties including Roswell, DeKalb, and Covington have already enacted their own local moratoriums while developing regulations.
🔖Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin
Mount Pleasant's village board unanimously approved Microsoft's plans for 15 additional data centers at former Wisconsin Foxconn worth over $13 billion.
Following staff member proposed changes to the site plan, the proponents specified that the expansion will not require more than the 8.4 million gallons of water provided annually. Microsoft can now finalize civil engineering plans and file building permits to the city.
🔖Sand Springs, Oklahoma
Sand Springs Planning Commission voted to recommend approval for a rezoning request for a hyperscale data center, named "Project Spring", to be used by Google.
"A potential data center development" in Sand Springs, Oklahoma."
The commission advanced rezoning for 827 acres from agricultural to industrial use. The recommendation now moves to City Council for a final vote February 3, 6 p.m. at Charles Page High School.
Opposition still remains as the request advances. Kyle Schmidt from Project Sand Springs Alliance (a grassroots organization made up of the community and other stakeholders) urges other neighbors to send their concerns to the City Council as the meeting approaches.
🔖Larimer County, Colorado
Larimer County commissioners voted to pause data center permit applications for 30 days while developing comprehensive regulations.
The temporary moratorium gives county planners time to draft rules addressing water usage, energy demand, setback requirements, and community impact assessments. Colorado's legislature is simultaneously weighing statewide standards that could set minimum requirements regardless of local ordinances.
County officials said they're taking a proactive approach before development pressure intensifies. Public hearings on draft regulations will be held before the moratorium expires.
Look out for more upcoming information in their website.
🔖East Union Township, Pennsylvania
East Union Township supervisors formally adopted new data center regulations, establishing the first comprehensive framework in the region.
The following regulation implements a zoning ordinance which will take effect immediately and will apply to pending applications. The regulations also cover setback requirements, infrastructure standards, water and power demand assessments, noise limitations, and community protection measures.
🔖Dekalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County Commission delayed action on proposed data center regulations again, pushing the ordinance and public hearing to May 12 as officials seek more time to refine oversight and monitor potential state legislation.
Commissioners said the delay would allow more time to refine guidelines and monitor possible state legislation related to data centers. While Commissioner Ted Terry supported the deferral, he questioned whether the General Assembly would pass any data center bills this session.
The ordinance, under discussion since September, would establish land-use standards for data centers in industrial areas and require developers to submit impact and sustainability plans addressing noise, water, energy, and infrastructure.
🔖Oklahoma
State Sen. Kendal Sacchieri, R-Blanchard, has introduced Senate Bill 1488, which would impose a three-year moratorium (until November 1, 2029) on new data center construction. This bill would direct the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to study long-term effects on infrastructure, water supplies, electricity rates, and property values before approving more development.
Oklahoma currently hosts more than a dozen data centers, with nearly 20 more proposed or recently approved. The largest concentration is Google’s Pryor campus, which has expanded from one facility in 2011 to eight today, with additional Google campuses under development elsewhere in the state.
An Act relating to the Corporation Commission; defining term; establishing moratorium; requiring certain study; requiring electronic submission of certain report; authorizing promulgation of rules; and providing for codification.
🔖Naperville, Illinois
The Naperville City Council voted to reject a proposed 36-megawatt data center along the I-88 corridor, despite testimony from organized labor leaders who described the project as a significant source of long-term jobs and economic investment.
Council members sided with residents who packed the meeting and raised concerns about the facility’s proximity to homes, water use, emissions, and potential health impacts, even after the developer reduced the project to a single building.
The decision shows economic arguments aren't persuading suburban communities to approve industrial-scale facilities. Naperville joins a broader Chicago-area trend of municipalities rejecting data center proposals.
🔖Dublin, Ohio
Dublin City Council is proposing to remove data centers from the list of allowable uses in its planned innovation district following pushback from nearby residents.
The reversal walks back earlier plans that would have permitted data centers in the western portion of the city. Residents objected that data centers don't align with the "innovation" character city leaders envisioned, referring to the idea that the district is meant to attract research, office, and technology companies rather than industrial infrastructure.
City planners are amending the land use plan to exclude data centers while maintaining flexibility for other technology development. The change reflects difficulty marketing large industrial facilities under the "innovation" brand.
🔖Virginia
A Virginia state senator has introduced legislation that would limit future data center development to industrially zoned areas, aiming to keep large-scale facilities away from residential and commercial communities.
Sponsored by Sen. Danica Roem, the bill would classify modern data centers as industrial uses, giving localities clearer authority to site them alongside manufacturers and warehouses rather than near homes. While the measure would not affect existing facilities, it would apply to new construction and allow communities to rezone land if they choose.
The legislation represents a shift for Virginia, which has aggressively courted data center development for decades and serves as the global epicenter of the industry.
🗓️ Upcoming Meetings
February 3, 2026
Charles Page High School
Final vote on Project Spring data center rezoning
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