Data Centers: Weekly Briefing // February 9 - 13, 2026
The Week's Data Center Highlights. New York introduces nation's most expansive state moratorium (3-year minimum); Canton, NC and Chatham County approve year-long bans; Montour County, PA unanimously denies 800-acre rezoning; Anthropic pledges 100% grid cost coverage. READ MORE.
Key Takeaways (At a Glance) 🔽
- The moratorium wave intensifies. At least 8 jurisdictions approved or advanced moratoriums this week (Sterling Heights, Fulton County, Canton, Chatham County, and proposals in Portage, St. Charles, Champaign County, and New York state).
- New York sets a new standard. Senate Bill S9144 would create the nation's most expansive state-level moratorium—a minimum 3-year pause on facilities consuming 20+ MW while requiring comprehensive environmental and rate impact studies.
- States are taking action. Ohio introduced a sweeping legislative package targeting tax incentives, local authority, and infrastructure cost recovery. Illinois lawmakers moved to permanently block data center access to a major aquifer serving 1 million residents.
- Rezoning battles are heating up. Montour County, PA unanimously denied an 800-acre rezoning; Marana, AZ residents delivered 2,800+ signatures to force a public vote; Bessemer, AL expanded plans to 1,600 acres (more than double the original footprint).
- Water and energy costs dominate debate. Wisconsin regulators held public hearings on whether large users should pay 75% or 100% of grid costs. Fort Worth tabled a $10B project over water usage concerns. Canton officials called data centers "a present threat" to resources.
- Grassroots pressure is decisive. Packed hearings in St. Louis, Independence (MO), Fulton County, and Canton show organized community opposition is directly influencing regulatory outcomes and vote timelines.
- Industry accountability is evolving. Anthropic became the third major AI company in 30 days to pledge covering 100% of grid upgrade costs and electricity price impacts.
📋 Just Passed
State Legislation
- New York: State lawmakers introduced Senate Bill S9144 proposing a minimum 3-year moratorium on new data centers consuming 20+ megawatts, requiring comprehensive environmental impact statements and Public Service Commission analysis of residential rate impacts.
- Ohio: Senate Democrats introduced a legislative package to strengthen local approval authority, eliminate sales tax exemptions for data centers, and require developers to pay for power and water infrastructure.
- Illinois: State Sen. Chapin Rose introduced Senate Bill 4004 to permanently prohibit data centers from using groundwater from the Mahomet Aquifer, which supplies drinking water to nearly 1 million people across 14 Central Illinois counties.
Moratoriums Approved
- Sterling Heights, MI: City Council unanimously approved a one-year moratorium on new data center proposals on Feb. 3 to study potential impacts and develop appropriate regulations.
- Fulton County, IN: Area Plan Commission voted 6-1 to approve a 12-month moratorium on data centers after residents packed a public hearing, halting a proposed 500-megawatt facility by the Decennial Group in Akron.
- Canton, NC: Town officials approved a one-year moratorium on data center construction, cryptocurrency mining facilities, and server farms after around 50 people voiced concerns at a special meeting.
- Chatham County, NC: County commissioners approved a 12-month moratorium banning construction of data centers and cryptocurrency mining in unincorporated areas through February 11, 2027.
Projects Approved
- Lewisville, TX: City Council unanimously approved a revised economic development agreement with Wells Fargo committing an additional $100 million to a data center project at 2501 Edmonds Lane.
- Van Buren Township, MI: Planning Commission approved preliminary site plans 5-2 for a one-gigawatt data center spanning over 280 acres following a five-hour debate.
Projects Denied or Delayed
- Hood County, TX: County commissioners voted 3-2 to reject a proposed six-month moratorium after receiving a letter from state Sen. Paul Bettencourt asserting counties lack authority to impose such pauses.
- Montour County, PA: County commissioners unanimously denied Talen Energy's request to rezone more than 800 acres from agricultural to industrial use, blocking a proposed data center development tied to a coal- and gas-fired power plant expansion.
- Oregon, OH: City Council narrowly rejected a six-month extension to key development deadlines for a proposed data center near Wynn and Corduroy roads, putting project milestones at risk with a March 31 deadline.
- Fort Worth, TX: City Council tabled a vote on rezoning 80 acres for Black Mountain's $10 billion data center on February 10, requesting more information about water usage and additional parcel requirements before the March 10 return date.
💬 Catch Up on Discussions
- Bessemer, AL: City officials released updated plans expanding the proposed Project Marvel data center campus to 1,600 acres, more than double the size of the previously approved footprint. The expansion requires additional rezoning and approvals.
- Portage, MI: City officials are considering a proposed one-year moratorium on new data center and battery energy storage system developments as the city evaluates potential impacts. A public hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 19, with a vote expected Feb. 24.
- St. Charles, MO: City officials are considering a permanent ban on data centers following a yearlong moratorium that went into effect in August 2025. A draft resolution would prohibit data centers by excluding them from permitted or conditional land uses.
- Janesville, WI: City Council voted unanimously to place a proposed ordinance governing large development projects on the former GM/JATCO site on the November ballot. If approved by voters, the ordinance would require a referendum for any future project costing $450 million or more.
- Lansing, MI: Deep Green, a European company, presented its proposed $120 million data center during a Monday roundtable with community and city leaders. Council members said more information is needed before any decisions are made.
- Marana, AZ: Residents delivered two referendum petitions on February 4 with roughly 2,800 signatures each to challenge a Town Council decision rezoning about 600 acres for a proposed data center project by Beale Infrastructure. If validated, the measure will appear on a ballot later this year.
- Wisconsin: The Wisconsin Public Service Commission held a virtual public hearing on February 10 on We Energies' proposal to create a new rate structure for very large energy users. Critics urged the commission to require large users to pay 100% of costs rather than 75%.
- Champaign County, IL: County officials are considering a temporary 12-month moratorium on new data centers to study environmental impacts and develop regulations.
- St. Louis, MO: Planning officials heard hours of public comment Wednesday night on newly proposed zoning rules for data centers at a packed four-hour hearing. The vast majority of which opposed any data center development.
- Independence, MO: Residents formed the group "Stop the AI Data Center in Independence" and met Tuesday night to organize against Nebius's proposed 2.5-million-square-foot data center on a 398-acre site. The grassroots Facebook group grew to 1,800 members in just one month. City council will hold the first reading on February 16, with a vote on March 2.
🎏 Industry Updates
- Anthropic: On February 11, Anthropic announced it will pay 100% of the grid upgrade costs required to interconnect its data centers and will work to offset demand-driven electricity price effects. It is the third major AI company in 30 days to make a similar pledge, following growing political scrutiny of data centers' impact on consumer electricity prices.
We're committing to cover electricity price increases from our data centers.
— Anthropic (@AnthropicAI) February 11, 2026
To ensure ratepayers aren’t picking up the tab, we'll pay 100% of grid upgrade costs, work to bring new power online, and invest in systems to reduce grid strain.
Read more: https://t.co/avOFlvRNpa
📅 Watch out for
Wisconsin: 🔗Written comments on the Public Service Commission's rate structure proposal can be submitted through February 17.
Independence, MO: City Council will hold the first reading of Chapter 100 authorizing tax abatements on February 16, with a second reading and vote scheduled for March 2.
Portage, MI: Public hearing on the proposed one-year moratorium scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 19, 7:00 PM, with a council vote expected Tuesday, Feb. 24.
Fort Worth, TX: Black Mountain CEO Rhett Bennett is expected to return to City Council on March 10 with clarifications about additional parcels and water usage.
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