Data Center Moratoriums Expand

Summary

• Moratoriums are the dominant policy response, with New York, New Jersey, Seattle, Denver, and others considering or approving temporary pauses on new data center development.
• Electricity demand is the main pressure point, with proposals citing very large projected load growth and concerns about utility bills, grid capacity, and cost allocation to ratepayers.
• Water use is becoming a recurring siting issue, especially for large campuses and cooling systems that may intensify local supply concerns.
• Local opposition is shaping outcomes through hearings, zoning disputes, neighborhood organizing, and in some places bans or restrictive ordinances.
• Several proposals pair pauses with new study requirements, suggesting a shift from ad hoc approvals toward formal rules for energy, water, noise, and facility design.
• Subsidy and incentive policy is also under scrutiny, especially where data centers receive low-cost power, tax abatements, or other public support.
• The debate is strongest around hyperscale or large-load facilities, while operating sites and already-permitted projects are often exempt from new pauses.