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Last Update: 09/22/2026 at 11:34 PM EST
Counties Put Data Centers On Hold
Coverage from In the Arena, Spotlight PA, and others
Counties in Maryland, Virginia, and Utah are delaying or suspending data center permits and project decisions while officials consider zoning, environmental, water, noise, and electricity-cost rules.
Montgomery County expanded an initial six-month pause into an 18-month moratorium, Prince George’s County adopted a two-year moratorium, and Loudoun County delayed a vote affecting 23 projects. The actions could extend project timelines and affect expected tax revenue, jobs, infrastructure spending, and power costs, while proposed safeguards and legal challenges remain unresolved.
Looking Back
162 Day Timeline
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History
09/03/2026
The story now includes more concrete regulatory intervention: Iron County halted application processing, while Loudoun delayed a decision affecting 23 projects. Montgomery County also formalized data centers in its zoning code.
08/24/2026
The story now extends beyond moratoriums on new applications to include scrutiny of grandfathered projects and statewide Maryland measures planned for 2027. The scale of the Dickerson project is also clearer, highlighting the potential significance of the delay.
All Articles39 articles
Important
Montgomery County, Maryland, approved an 18-month moratorium on new and pending data center permits, pausing Atmosphere Data Centers' proposed Dickerson campus.
7/31/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Krystal Oriadha sponsored a two-year Prince George's County moratorium on data center development after resident protests over a Landover Mall hyperscale proposal.
7/10/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater issued an until-Dec.-31 pause on new data center applications in Maryland after a statewide impact analysis and PSC large-load registration requirements were added to the county review process.
7/2/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Lexington Urban County Council approved a unanimous moratorium on data center development on June 9, 2026, lasting until at least October 31, 2026.
6/18/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Boone County, Indiana commissioners approved a one-year moratorium on new data center applications in unincorporated areas, effective June 16, 2026 through June 15, 2027.
6/16/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich signed a six-month moratorium on new data center permit applications in Maryland as zoning rules are revised.
6/15/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Boone County, Indiana commissioners voted June 15 to impose a one-year moratorium on new data centers while drafting zoning rules, exempting Meta’s LEAP district campus.
6/15/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Marc Elrich announced a six-month Montgomery County order pausing new data-center permit processing while zoning rules are drafted.
6/13/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Box Elder County, Utah, adopted Ordinance No. 654 in 2020s, pausing processing of data center and data center power plant applications for 180 days.
6/10/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Loudoun County supervisors delayed a vote in Virginia on October 6 requirements that would bring 23 developing data centers under updated regulations and public hearings.
9/2/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Loudoun County supervisors Juli E. Briskman and Laura A. TeKrony will propose ending grandfathered by-right review for pending data center applications at a September meeting.
8/21/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County Council approved an 18-month halt on new data center permits in Maryland to study infrastructure, water, environmental, fiscal, and community effects.
8/3/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Loudoun County supervisors are considering a temporary data center application pause on September 15 while reviewing permitting standards in Virginia's Data Center Alley.
7/30/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County officials approved an 18-month data center development moratorium in Maryland to review environmental, zoning, water, tax, and infrastructure impacts.
7/29/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County Economic Development Committee voted unanimously to recommend an 18-month data center moratorium while adopting definitions tied to 25 MW energy demand.
7/23/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Prince George's County, Maryland, is set for a planning board hearing on proposed zoning legislation that could create an exception to a two-year data-center moratorium.
7/22/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Warner Robins commissioners will review a six-month data center moratorium proposal on permitting and licensing at a city meeting in Georgia.
7/19/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Chester County Council approved first reading of a six-month pause on data center applications on June 15, 2026, in Chester County, South Carolina.
6/18/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County council heard public comment in Maryland on competing bills proposing six-month versus two-year moratoriums on data center permits.
6/17/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County, Maryland temporarily paused processing new data-center permit applications while county council and state assessments develop data-center-specific rules.
6/13/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Marc Elrich enacted a six-month Montgomery County data center moratorium in Rockville, addressing opposition to Terra Energy plans in Dickerson and concerns about Potomac River water impacts.
6/12/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich proposed a six-month pause on new data center permit applications in Montgomery County, Maryland, reported June 12, 2026.
6/12/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Box Elder County commissioners approved an 180-day moratorium on new Utah data centers and power plants on June 10, 2026, exempting the Stratos Project.
6/10/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Howard County Council passed the S.M.A.R.T. Act on June 1, pausing new data center development while a task force reviews zoning updates until November 2027.
6/6/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Queen Anne's County Commissioners approved a 12-month moratorium on data center applications in Maryland to develop zoning and performance standards starting immediately.
6/4/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Madison County, Iowa officials approved a 12-month pause on new data center projects to revise zoning rules after public concerns.
5/26/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Iron County Commission in Utah imposed a 180-day ban on processing new or incomplete data center and power-plant applications in 2026 after public concerns during May 14 Cedar City open house.
5/26/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Loudoun County supervisors delayed a resolution Tuesday in Loudoun County, Virginia, that could have ended approval rights for 23 grandfathered data center projects.
9/1/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners approved a six-month moratorium on data center site plan approvals and applications in Calvert County, Maryland, effective August 28, 2026.
8/19/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County Council approved an 18-month data center permitting moratorium on July 28 in Montgomery County, Maryland, to study industry impacts.
8/12/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County officials paused data center development for 18 months in Maryland after public discussions, allowing time to develop safeguards with community and state-level partners.
8/6/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Loudoun County supervisors are scheduled to consider on September 15 whether to pause new data center applications during zoning and siting review.
7/31/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County Council members in Maryland unanimously approved an 18-month data center moratorium and a 25-megawatt zoning limit amid local concerns about hyperscale development.
7/28/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Interesting
Will Jawando and Maryland advocates are seeking a two-year data center moratorium in Montgomery County to address environmental impacts, electricity demand, utility rates, and taxpayer subsidies.
11/3/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Montgomery County, Maryland residents supported a proposed two-year data center moratorium during a public hearing, after a six-month pause was announced by County Executive Marc Elrich.
6/16/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Montgomery County officials approved an 18-month moratorium on new data center permits in July, while Atmosphere Data Centers evaluates a proposed Dickerson campus.
8/30/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Montgomery County Council approved an 18-month data center permitting moratorium and hyperscale zoning prohibition in Montgomery County, Maryland.
7/29/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Queen Anne's County, Maryland approved an immediate 12-month moratorium on data center application reviews to study infrastructure, utility, and environmental impacts.
6/4/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Skagit County adopted a temporary moratorium on data-center permits in unincorporated areas, while officials refine zoning and water protections after a June 1 vote.
6/1/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General