Data Centers | March 10, 2026
New Castle County, DE amendment threatens to gut data center regs; More cities and townships push on moratoriums. READ MORE.
At A Glance 🔽
- New Castle County, DE: Kilpatrick amendment would let pipeline projects skip new data center limits. Vote Tuesday.
- Gibraltar, MI: Unanimous one-year moratorium halts McLouth Steel site project.
- Monticello, MN: ~500 sign petition; environmental group sues over 500-acre project review.
- East Whiteland, PA: Planning commission sends 1.7M sq ft proposal back for more review.
- Pekin, IL: Mayor kills data center project. Council votes to end developer agreement March 23.
- North Whitehall, PA: Ordinance approved, but stricter amendment already set for May 11.
- Smithfield, PA: Data centers proposed within decade-old mixed-use development.
- Georgia: Senate passes SB 410, repealing data center tax exemption. Heads to House.
NEW CASTLE COUNTY, Delaware
New Castle County Council is set to vote Tuesday on data center regulations, but Councilwoman Janet Kilpatrick filed an amendment Friday evening that would let subdivision plans already in the pipeline convert to data center projects without meeting the new limits. That could exempt projects lingering from years past, including a site near St. George's Bridge filed in 2024.
Ordinance author Councilman Dave Carter and the Sierra Club say the amendment "guts the proposed legislation." A competing amendment by Councilman John Cartier would set the effective date at August 5, 2025, which could block a Newark data center filed in December. It's unclear whether either amendment can secure seven votes on the 13-member council. The Sierra Club plans a 5:30 p.m. Tuesday protest ahead of the vote, citing over 1,500 residents who've backed Carter's framework.
GIBRALTAR, Michigan
The Gibraltar City Council unanimously approved a year-long moratorium Monday night, freezing all data center proposals including a project by a California company at the former McLouth Steel plant on West Jefferson Avenue. The city will use the pause to study potential impacts on land use, environment, public health and safety.
MONTICELLO, Minnesota
Data Centers in Monticello, MN.
Residents are fighting two proposed data centers totaling roughly 600 acres: one over 500 acres south of 85th Street, another about 100 acres near Otter Creek Crossing Industrial Park. A petition gathered nearly 500 signatures on Sunday, and a Monday night meeting drew vocal opposition over environmental and health concerns.
The Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy sued the city in February, challenging the review process for the larger project. City Administrator Rachel Leonard said the city won't accept formal applications until the council approves new regulations. No vote on those regulations has happened yet.
EAST WHITELAND, Pennsylvania
The East Whiteland Planning Commission sent a revised 1.7 million-square-foot data center proposal back for further review Monday after a packed meeting at Penn State Great Valley. The project on the former Foote Mineral Company Superfund site is already approved at 1 million square feet, but the developer wants to expand.
Residents raised concerns about proximity to homes, property values, and power draw. One claimed the site would consume more electricity than every home in Chester County combined.
Developers Sentinel Data Centers and Green Fig LLC say the revised plan includes noise monitoring, enhanced landscaping, and zero water table usage. The Board of Supervisors meets Wednesday.
PEKIN, Illinois
Mayor Mary Burress announced Monday that Pekin is dropping its data center plans for part of the 1,000-acre Lutticken Farm property. The packed council chamber erupted in applause. The project, proposed by Western Hospitality Partners, had faced strong opposition across Pekin and surrounding communities.
Council is expected to vote March 23 to formally end the developer agreement.
NORTH WHITEHALL, Pennsylvania
The Board of Supervisors approved a data center ordinance Monday permitting data centers as conditional use in Light Industrial and Mineral Extraction/Industrial districts. But they're already planning tighter rules: a May 11 amendment would limit data centers to the ME/I district only and increase setback and sound study requirements.
The current ordinance requires developers to identify end users, complete noise and vibration studies, meet power supply standards, and establish emergency response plans.
SMITHFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pennsylvania
Two data center buildings, each about 125,000 square feet plus a power substation, have been proposed within the Smithfield Gateway development, a mixed-use project that's been in the works for over a decade. The development was originally pitched as retail, restaurants, and apartments.
Developer Jim DePetris presented the concept at a February 12 commission meeting but declined to comment further. No formal submissions or timeline have been set. Residents voiced frustration about the pivot from the original vision.
GEORGIA
The Georgia Senate passed Senate Bill 410 on March 6, repealing the state sales tax exemption for data center equipment and requiring data centers to cover the full cost of new generation and transmission infrastructure. State regulators estimate Georgia Power will need roughly $3.4 billion in additional annual revenue by 2031, largely from data center demand.
Georgia Power disputes claims that residential bills would rise ~$20/month, arguing large customers will cover their own costs. The bill heads to the House before session ends in April. Existing projects with valid tax exemption certificates are grandfathered in.
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