Data Centers: Weekly Briefing // October 19 - October 22, 2026

📋 This Week's Decisions

Just Passed ✔️

Statewide Action

• Wisconsin: The Department of Natural Resources agreed to a statewide strategic analysis of AI data centers' environmental impacts, settling a Sierra Club lawsuit that argued the DNR should have done a full environmental impact statement before permitting Vantage's Port Washington campus. The study covers water use, greenhouse gas emissions, wildlife and energy use, and must be finalized by January 2028. Vantage pays the full cost, but the DNR keeps sole control of the study and must run a public website for notices and input. 🔗 Settlement

Moratoriums Approved

• Dover, Delaware: The City Council approved an 18-month moratorium on AI data center applications at its Oct. 12 meeting, after about two months of deliberation. Councilwoman Donyale Hall brought the measure forward to head off strain on the city's power infrastructure and resulting rate increases.
• Calloway County, Kentucky: The Fiscal Court voted 4-1 to approve a one-year moratorium on new data centers and expansions. The court can grant exceptions, and a pre-vote amendment requires developers to show, among other things, that a project won't harm utilities or the environment.
• Pettis County, Missouri: The county approved a temporary moratorium on data centers covering 30 acres or more of unincorporated land or valued at $5 million or more. It will run an economic development study, an environmental impact study or both, with the review expected to wrap within two years.

Regulations Passed

• Montgomery County, Tennessee: The County Commission voted 17-4 to approve data center zoning restrictions, raising the residential setback from 100 to 500 feet (Commissioner Joshua Beal first proposed 1,000). Sites are limited to 10 to 100 acres, noise is capped at 3 decibels over ambient and 55 decibels next to property not zoned M1 or M2, and applicants must prove water and power capacity and cover the full cost of utility upgrades.
• Somerset County, Pennsylvania: Commissioners unanimously approved a data center ordinance with a 1,000-foot setback from existing homes, plus noise limits and outdoor lighting restrictions.
• South Annville Township, Pennsylvania: Supervisors passed Ordinance #10-14-26, including a decommissioning plan and a community benefits agreement, choosing to adopt now and refine later. Setbacks and noise limits stayed below what a resident and the planning commission asked for, which supervisors tied to the solicitor's advice on what the township can legally defend.

Projects Approved

• Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin: The Planning Commission unanimously approved revised site plans for Microsoft's data center at 12023 Durand Ave, cutting buildings from nine to seven while growing the project to 5,878,080 square feet from an original 5.2 million. Microsoft says the changes speed development rather than scale it back. The commission asked for added sound mitigation on the west side.
• Stafford County, Virginia: Supervisors voted to take nine parcels by eminent domain for a "purple pipe" reuse water system that will primarily cool data centers, with each vote passing 4-2-1. Ten property owners settled with developers; nine others didn't. County Administrator Bill Ashton said the pipe will be county-owned infrastructure other businesses can also use.

Projects Denied/Withdrawn

• Archbald, Pennsylvania: Borough Council unanimously rejected Cornell Realty Management's zoning request for the 14-building Wildcat Ridge Data Center Campus on 578 acres, which included 588 diesel backup generators. About 200 people applauded the decision, which followed nine hearings from January to September. The developer is expected to appeal.
• Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin: The Common Council voted 7-0 to reject a conditional use permit for PNK Group's hyperscale data center at the old paper mill site, after months of opposition led by South Wood County Neighbors for Responsible Development. The city enacted a one-year moratorium on Oct. 9, extendable to 18 months, to rework its ordinance.

Moratoriums Rejected

• Little Rock, Arkansas: A second moratorium attempt failed on a 4-4 vote, the same split as an 18-month proposal in August. Director Capi Peck, listed as a co-sponsor of Director Kathy Webb's measure, voted no, calling it too technical. Google plans a $1 billion data center at the Port of Little Rock.

In Court

• Urbana, Ohio: The City Council chose to keep fighting a lawsuit from Thor Equities, rejecting a settlement that would have avoided about $115 million in potential damages but allowed a data center across the street from the middle and high school. Residents held "No Deal" signs, though some questioned the financial risk if the city loses.

💬 Catch Up on Discussions

• Loudoun County, Virginia: Supervisors were scheduled to vote Tuesday on a yearlong "Legislative Pause on Data Center and Substation Applications," retroactive to Sept. 15, 2026, with an exception for grid-reliability substations. The county has 33 active legislative applications for data centers or substations.
• Volusia County, Florida: The council was set to take a final vote Tuesday on banning data centers with a peak load of 50 MW or more in unincorporated areas, after advancing it unanimously Oct. 6. The county hasn't accepted new large-scale applications there since Aug. 17.
• Broward County, Florida: The County Commission voted unanimously to begin drafting a one-year moratorium on large-scale data centers in unincorporated areas. Commissioner Lamar Fisher expects a final vote next month, though it could slip to December.
• Gilroy, California: The City Council was set Monday to consider extending its temporary moratorium by 10 months and 15 days. The decision wouldn't affect the $2 billion AWS facility already under construction on 56 heavy-industrial acres. 🔗 Moratorium Q&A
• Taunton, Massachusetts: The Municipal Council was scheduled to discuss a 365-day moratorium. VMD Companies, which owns 50 John Hancock Road in the Myles Standish Industrial Park, wants an exemption, warning a delay would derail a deal with a confidential tenant needing 24 MW.
• Dade City, Florida: Commissioners approved the first reading of a 12-month moratorium, citing groundwater and electrical infrastructure. If adopted on second reading, it would block permits, site plans, rezonings and plan amendments tied to data centers.
• Missoula County, Montana: A draft study finds data centers pose potential threats to public health, safety and the environment, and recommends extending the county's July moratorium by one year. Because Montana's Right to Compute Act makes a permanent moratorium unlikely, it points to comprehensive zoning instead.
• Berlin, Maryland: Council Vice President Jack Orris outlined a moratorium of one year or longer to gather utility, water, public safety and financial information, but the council took no action. Council member Shaneka Nichols said she'd prefer longer than 12 months.
• Sioux County, Iowa: Supervisors advanced the data center ordinance 4-1 at second reading, with Dan Altena voting no. Once published, it takes effect and the county's moratorium lifts.
• Boulder City, Nevada: Voters decide on Nov. 3 whether data centers become an approved use in the Eldorado Valley Transfer Area. Supporters point to new revenue as solar leases near expiration; opponents cite regional power, shared water and desert tortoise habitat. The city has also received a separate application southwest of I-11 and US-93.
• Emporia, Kansas: Any development agreement for the proposed digital campus would be posted for 21 days of public review before a commission vote. Officials' conditions include hundreds of permanent jobs, protection against utility cost increases, and a voluntary above-market buyout for owners within 500 feet.
• Boone, Iowa: The City Council approved a memorandum of understanding with Lightedge capping water use at 75,000 gallons a month, barring city property tax incentives and requiring Lightedge to pay for utility upgrades. No final decision has been made, and Boone is one of several sites under consideration.
• Albany, New York: Residents packed a public forum on the proposed 180 MW data center at Kenwood Commons, raising grid strain, electric bills, environmental justice and the burden on the South End.
• Warrick County, Indiana: The county is moving forward with a permanent ordinance requiring a site-specific rezoning vote through a new Data Center Overlay district, with no special exception bypass. The draft caps noise at 55 decibels at homes, sets 300-foot building and 500-foot equipment setbacks, bans once-through cooling, and requires water caps and decommissioning assurance.
• McCormick County, South Carolina: Council postponed the third reading of its data center ordinance after introducing amendments covering third-party inspections, groundwater limits, permit revocation and environmental protections.
• San Mateo County, California: Supervisors voted to begin evaluating zoning changes to restrict data centers in unincorporated areas, after dropping a countywide ban from the original proposal. Supervisor Lisa Gauthier cited diesel backup generator emissions and said the San Mateo County Event Center had been solicited as a site.
• St. Joseph, Missouri: The City Council postponed two consultant contracts over questions about ties to the data center industry. The GBA Inc. contract, now amended to focus on protecting residents, runs up to $42,440; a Renew Missouri Advocates contract for outreach, legal services and code changes runs up to $10,750.
• Wheeling, West Virginia: The city is drafting a data center ordinance with new standards and review processes. Mayor Denny Magruder pushed back on complaints of inaction, saying the work has been underway for about three months.
• San Antonio, Texas: Residents pressed City Hall for tighter rules at a town hall organized by Councilman Ric Galvan with the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance and Public Citizen. The Development Services Department is preparing proposed regulations as part of a Unified Development Code update.

📅 Upcoming Meetings

• St. Joseph, Missouri: Council vote on consultant contracts, Oct. 26 at 5:30 p.m.
• Sioux County, Iowa: Final reading of the data center ordinance, Oct. 27.
• Missoula County, Montana: In-person Q&A on the draft study, Tuesday, Oct. 27.
• Warrick County, Indiana: Public hearings on the permanent ordinance, Nov. 2 and Nov. 9.
• Boulder City, Nevada: Ballot vote on data centers in the Eldorado Valley Transfer Area, Nov. 3.
• Urbana, Ohio: Next council meeting, Nov. 3, the same day Champaign County voters decide whether to ban data centers.
• South Annville Township, Pennsylvania: Next board meeting, Nov. 11.
• Montgomery County, Tennessee: Zoning restrictions return, November.
• McCormick County, South Carolina: Planning Commission takes up Ordinance 26-06, November.
• Broward County, Florida: Final moratorium vote, November (possibly December).

👀 In case you missed it...

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