📋 Just Passed

State Legislation

• Maine: The House voted in favor of a bill establishing a temporary moratorium on data center construction through November 2027. The legislation would 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. The bill faces additional votes in both chambers.
• Maryland: The Senate passed the Utility Relief Act with provisions to manage the impact of large load users, including data centers, on the electric grid. The bill passed almost unanimously and moves to a conference committee to reconcile with the House version. The Senate version lowers the load factor threshold, expanding the number of projects subject to regulatory oversight, and added a voluntary clean capacity program giving priority interconnection to projects that bring their own clean energy.
• Georgia: Every bill aimed at addressing data center expansion failed to reach a final vote this session, leaving a tax exemption projected to cost the state $2.5 billion in fiscal year 2026 intact through 2032. A University of Georgia analysis found roughly 70 percent of data center construction would have occurred without the incentive. Georgia's projected losses from the exemption are expected to climb to about $3 billion in 2027.
• Ohio: A bipartisan push in the General Assembly is targeting the state's sales-tax exemption for data centers (SB 374), which cost taxpayers an estimated $140 million this fiscal year.
• 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. The bills would apply to operations consuming more than 100 million gallons annually or more than 50 percent of a city's authorized water use.

Moratoriums Approved

• Massillon, OH: City Council unanimously approved a 180-day moratorium on data center development within city limits. The freeze blocks all zoning, building, and other permits while the city reviews its zoning code.
• Washington Township, OH: Trustees passed a resolution establishing a 12-month moratorium on any new data centers. Trustees will use the freeze period to consider adding a dedicated section on data centers to the township's zoning code.

Regulations Passed

• Tucson, AZ: The city is drafting rules requiring large data centers to sit at least 400 feet from homes and schools, with no by-right approval path. Every application would need a neighborhood meeting, Zoning Examiner hearing, and mayor and Council vote. Large-scale facilities would be restricted to heavy industrial I-2 zones. The draft bans potable water for cooling, permits only Tier IV or natural gas generators, and limits maintenance runs to weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Weld County, CO: 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. Data centers are prohibited in agricultural zones.
• Lowhill Township, PA: 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 sets requirements for setback, noise, building height, water, and electrical demand. All facilities must employ closed-loop cooling systems.
• East Rockhill, PA: The Board of Supervisors advanced an ordinance restricting data centers to industrial zones at Pennridge Airport. The measure sets a 50-acre minimum lot size and a 45-foot height limit. It now goes to township and county planning commissions for 30-day review.
• Slocum Township, PA: The planning commission voted to recommend a revised zoning code, the first update since 1986. Data centers would be limited to I-1 industrial zones as a conditional use. The code adds a $5 million minimum bond for water infrastructure costs, mandatory decommissioning plans with financial assurance for full site restoration, and a requirement to begin removal within one year of cessation and complete it within 18 months.
• East Manchester Township, PA: Supervisors approved two new data center ordinances. The first regulates siting, design, construction, and operation; the second establishes a data center overlay district on land near Gravel Hill and Saginaw Road. The ordinance requires developers to limit building height to 55 feet, maintain a 500-foot setback, and submit to sound studies.
• Greenfield Township, PA: Supervisors voted to restrict data centers to industrial zones through a zoning amendment designed to close a Pennsylvania land-use loophole. Under state law, if a use is not classified in a particular zoning district, it is allowed in all districts by special exception.
• Habersham County, GA: The 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. A town hall on April 13 at the Ruby Fulbright Aquatic Center will present updates.

💬 Catch Up on Discussions

• Virginia: Democrats remain deadlocked on the state budget two weeks before a special session in late April, with the dispute centered on whether to phase out the sales and use tax exemption for data centers.
• Illinois: Lawmakers launched the first of three planned hearings on data center regulation. The committee is considering regulations including the POWER Act. Water use, energy use, noise, and community benefit agreements were the primary topics.
• Cheyenne, WY: The city is annexing county land to manage explosive data center growth and fund infrastructure upgrades. Three major projects are driving expansion: Tallgrass and Crusoe's Project Jade at 2.7 gigawatts of AI capacity, Related Digital's $1.2 billion 302-megawatt facility, and Meta's $800 million Project Cosmo spanning 715,000 square feet.
• Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, NC: Four council members introduced an ordinance to ban data centers on the Qualla Boundary, calling them a "clear and present danger" to people and the environment. The 12-member tribal council voted unanimously to table the proposal for future discussion. The draft ordinance proposes an indefinite moratorium and cites water as sacred.
• Lancaster, PA: A $20 million community benefit agreement for two data center sites faces questions about enforceability and public input. The agreement commits developers to 100% renewable energy and projects 2,000 construction and 350 permanent jobs.
• Granbury, TX: The city holds public hearings on rezoning 2,100 acres of annexed ranchland for a data center power plant. Bilateral Energy LLC received TCEQ approval in July for eight simple-cycle turbines and 87 linear generators.
• Columbia, MO: City Council voted on amendments to regulate data centers by defining the use, establishing zoning criteria, and determining where facilities could be built.
• Loudoun County, VA: The Board of Supervisors voted to direct county staff to research data center redevelopment potential on the George Washington University's Ashburn campus after Amazon Data Services acquired it.
• Port Washington, WI: Voters approved a referendum requiring public approval for TIF districts exceeding $10 million, with 66 percent voting yes and 51 percent turnout. The ordinance was proposed by Great Lakes Neighbors United, a grassroots group opposing a proposed $15 billion AI data center for Oracle, OpenAI, and Vantage. City officials had approved a $458 million TIF district for the project in November 2025.
• New Castle Township, PA: Supervisors are considering zoning amendments to create a highway industrial zoning district and establish data center regulations after a New York firm purchased land in the township's northern end. A public hearing is set for April 22. An environmental impact study would be required.
• Troup County, GA: The county unveiled a proposed draft ordinance for data center zoning in unincorporated areas during its third consecutive 90-day moratorium. The county does not operate its own water system and cannot outright ban data centers.
• Jackson County, MO: The county legislature is weighing a 120-day moratorium on data center and Battery Energy Storage System land use applications in unincorporated areas. The moratorium comes about a month after Independence passed $6 billion in tax breaks for a $150 billion AI data center.
• Bangor, ME: City councilors are fast-tracking an ordinance to pause data center development for six months. A final vote is set for April 13, skipping the first reading due to what officials called the "emergency nature" of the issue.
• Clyde, NC: The town has scheduled a public hearing on a data center moratorium for April 16.

📅 Watch out for

• Bangor, ME: Final vote on six-month data center moratorium, April 13.
• Habersham County, GA: Town hall on data center provisions in proposed UDO, April 13.
• Clyde, NC: Public hearing on data center moratorium, April 16.
• New Castle Township, PA: Public hearing on highway industrial zoning district, April 22.
• Virginia: Special session on state budget including data center tax exemption, late April.
• Manitowoc County, WI: County board vote on one-year moratorium, possibly April 28.

In case you missed it...

This week in the Data Center space.

Data Centers: Daily Notes | April 6, 2026

Cheyenne annexes county land to manage data center boom; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians proposes indefinite ban on tribal lands; Tucson tightens rules with 400-ft setbacks and potable water ban.

STRisker - Short-term rental and data center regulationsDane Artisola

Data Centers: Daily Notes | April 7, 2026

Maine House advances first statewide data center moratorium; Minnesota lawmakers push water permits for large users; Lowhill Township adopts 23-page data center ordinance.

STRisker - Short-term rental and data center regulationsDane Artisola

Data Centers: Daily Notes | April 8, 2026

Port Washington voters approve TIF referendum requiring public sign-off on large financing districts; Ohio’s bipartisan push to end billions in data center tax breaks heats up; Greenfield Township restricts data centers to industrial zones.

STRisker - Short-term rental and data center regulationsDane Artisola

Data Centers: Daily Notes | April 9, 2026

Maryland Senate passes Utility Relief Act targeting data center grid impacts; Georgia’s ratepayer protection bills all fail; Virginia Democrats deadlocked over $1.9 billion data center tax break.

STRisker - Short-term rental and data center regulationsDane Artisola

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