New York

Data Centers: Daily Notes | June 3, 2026

New York moves toward a nation-first statewide moratorium, Virginia Beach unanimously bars future data centers, and Monterey Park voters appear set to enact California’s first city-level ban.

STRisker - Short-term rental and data center regulationsDane Artisola

New York's legislature passed a one-year moratorium on new data centers, putting the state on track to become the first to temporarily ban the projects statewide if Gov. Kathy Hochul signs the bill.

The pause would bar new data centers until November 2027 and give policymakers time to study how the projects affect communities and the environment. It directs the state's environmental agency to produce an impact report on the electricity, water, and land data centers consume and the pollution they create. Companies planning large facilities, defined as those with a peak demand of at least 20 megawatts, would have to hold and fund a public hearing at least three months before they can win approval.

The bill also creates a new state council charged with protecting ratepayers and minimizing risks. It would not affect a massive data center project already underway.

Illinois

Gov. JB Pritzker directed the state to pause new data center tax incentives starting July 1, stepping in on June 5 after the General Assembly did not act.

The order tells the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to stop processing new agreements under the Data Center Investment Program. Existing agreements entered before July 1, 2026 will be honored. Pritzker paired the pause with a broader policy framework that would require data centers to pay their fair share of energy and infrastructure costs, accept interruptible electric service when the grid is strained, fund their own clean energy, and use water-efficient systems that can draw up to 5 million gallons a day. Pritzker called on lawmakers and stakeholders to advance comprehensive reforms during the veto session.

Pennsylvania

Brown Continues Push for Data Center Moratorium, Says Governor’s Proposal Falls Short - Senator Brown

Sen. Rosemary Brown (R-40) is continuing her call for stronger safeguards on large-scale data center development in Pennsylvania, urging state leaders to put residents and local communities first as the industry rapidly expands.

Senator BrownTiffany P

State Sen. Rosemary Brown is backing a statewide moratorium on new hyperscale data center development, arguing Gov. Josh Shapiro's voluntary standards do not go far enough.

The Monroe County Republican's "Residents First" package would require developers to show that utilities can support a project at full capacity before applications are submitted, limit large-scale data centers to industrially zoned areas, and mandate independent water impact studies. It would also direct the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to study emerging data storage technologies and their long-term environmental impacts.

Brown's push follows Shapiro's proposed voluntary "GRID certification" program, which she says falls short because participation would be optional. She pointed to a proposed project in Archbald that was later removed from the state's Fast Track Permitting Program, and said local governments are increasingly asked to review complex proposals without consistent statewide standards.

El Paso, Texas

El Paso's City Council will weigh whether the city can exit an incentive agreement tied to a Meta data center project at its Tuesday meeting, drawing organized residents to public comment.

The agreement was approved and signed in 2023, so unwinding it would carry legal and financial risk. Mayor Renard Johnson said he understands residents' concerns but is unwilling to put taxpayers at risk over a binding obligation, noting construction is already underway. The Amanecer People's Project has been helping residents sign up to speak, pressing council members on water, electricity, and the long-term impact of data centers in the region.

Johnson said the council is separately considering new rules for future data center projects, but described the Meta deal as different because it is already in place.

Fayetteville, Arkansas

Fayetteville councilmembers have proposed an ordinance that would move data centers from permitted uses to conditional uses, giving the planning commission room to weigh a project's effects on neighboring properties and the public interest.

The measure builds on a 2023 noise-focused ordinance that made Fayetteville one of the first Arkansas cities to regulate data centers. It would require reports on water and electricity consumption, a public webpage for noise verification, and a single community point of contact, and would let the mayor prioritize residential water use over data center demand. Arkansas bars outright bans under Act 851, but under the proposed rules an operator would have to prove the community will not be harmed or the project cannot be approved. Mayor Molly Rawn said the updates are needed to match the "changing reality of this technology."

The council will take up the ordinance at a June 9 agenda-setting session and could vote as soon as June 16. An attached emergency clause would make the rules effective immediately if passed.

Clay County, Florida

Clay County will hold its first public hearing on a proposed one-year moratorium on rezoning and permitting applications tied to data centers, with a pause that would apply only to unincorporated parts of the county.

During the moratorium, staff would review how data centers affect local water systems, the electrical grid, and the environment, and identify regulations adopted elsewhere. The proposed ordinance warns that letting facilities proceed without standards could put the county's water resources, electrical capacity, and land use planning at risk. A second and final hearing is set for June 23.

Edmond, Oklahoma

Edmond's city council will consider a temporary moratorium on new data center development at its Monday night meeting.

The city's zoning code does not currently include a category for data centers. If approved, the moratorium would run through the end of the year while Edmond develops a regulatory framework and studies the industry's impact on water and power. Officials said there are no pending data center applications in the city.

Iron County, Utah

The Iron County Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit for a data center project west of Cedar City, granting the request despite pushback over water and air quality.

The permit went to Pronghorn Development LLC for the Antelope Data Campus, planned on 640 acres along Antelope Springs Road about 8 miles west of Cedar City. The project could include five data center buildings constructed in phases over eight to 10 years.

Data Centers: Daily Notes | May 28, 2026

Major rejections in Hanover County and Upper Macungie; Govs. DeWine and Shapiro roll out statewide moves on tax breaks and project standards.

STRisker - Short-term rental and data center regulationsDane Artisola

The approval came on the heels of a 180-day moratorium the commission imposed to gather more information as larger hyperscale facilities were proposed in the county. County planning staff said the Antelope project was not affected by that pause, and that the commission's role is to determine whether an applicant complies with current code.

Nashville, Tennessee

A Nashville Zoo petition against a proposed data center next door has topped 288,000 signatures, gathering more than 150,000 in its first 48 hours after launching last week.

Nashville Zoo Petition

The proposal is a single-story, 69,220-square-foot building known as the DC BLOX Data Center at 648 Grassmere Park in South Nashville, just feet from the zoo. The opposition gained a high-profile voice when country star Brad Paisley called the proposal an "absolute nightmare scenario" and urged his fans to join the fight. DC BLOX said it would use closed-loop or waterless cooling, pay for the power and energy infrastructure its project requires, manage noise to local levels, and shield light fixtures.

Many residents want those promises written into law rather than left as commitments. Metro Council is weighing a bill that would place heavy restrictions on where data centers can be built and how they operate in Nashville.

Lexington, Kentucky

Lexington's mayor said the city will not back public incentives for a developer that bought the former Lexmark data center property and plans to expand it.

DartPoints Operating Company, a Dallas-based firm that runs nearly a dozen data centers, closed the $29 million purchase of 745 W. New Circle Road on May 15. The site, spanning more than 345,000 square feet across roughly 30 acres, has a current capacity of 20 to 30 megawatts with long-term potential to reach 70. Because the property is already zoned to allow data centers, no rezoning was required. Mayor Linda Gorton said her office did not learn of the sale until it closed, that data centers produce few jobs while threatening to raise utility costs, and that she supports "very tight controls".

District 1 Councilmember Tyler Morton, whose district includes the site, said the council is exploring all available options and suggested the land could instead serve affordable housing. A consultant is drafting a zoning amendment to define and regulate data centers, and the Planning Commission takes public input on it June 11.

STRisker Updates Tracker

How do you keep up with the regulatory rollercoaster in your market? STRisker's Updates Tracker can be your guide - start tracking latest events as they happen and get access to essential documents as they come in. We know the struggle, which is why we built this product to capture every twist and turn in the regulatory saga so you never miss a beat.

Start Your Free Trial

👍 We’d love your feedback.
Which stories hit? Which ones missed?

We're exploring a new branch of topics centered around Data Centers and want to make it even more useful for you.

✉️ Just reply directly to this email. We read and respond to every message!

-Will McClure
🙋 P.S.
Know someone else who should be reading Daily Notes? Feel free to forward this along. We’re opening a few more spots.