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Last Update: 10/27/2026 at 5:01 AM EST
Midwest Data Center Policy
Coverage from Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative, City of Fort Madison, and others
Across the Midwest, local and state responses to data center proposals include zoning rules, permit reviews, moratoria, and decisions about tax incentives.
Iowa illustrates the range: counties have adopted pauses or land-use requirements, while candidates and community groups debate stronger limits, developer disclosures, and responsibility for utility costs. These decisions bring practical questions about water, electricity, farmland, infrastructure, and potential community benefits into public hearings and policy discussions. The subject is not simply whether facilities are built, but how authorities weigh local priorities and public obligations when considering them.
Key Articles4 of 149 articles
If you read one thing
This statewide report introduces the range of Iowa rulemaking and resource concerns while showing how local approaches differ.
Best explainer
The University of Iowa tool translates those concerns into a practical framework for reviewing impacts and enforceable safeguards.
The evidence
Linn County’s pause and ordinance requirements show how a jurisdiction is turning review into specific water-study and community-benefit rules.
The local angle
Dubuque provides a concrete local case where public opposition and litigation concerns shape a proposed moratorium and rulemaking.
Key Issues
Local review is being formalized through pauses and new rules
Iowa jurisdictions are using temporary moratoria or project delays to develop data-center ordinances and more formal review processes. The response is taking the form of local standards and permitting rules rather than outright bans, which local governments cannot impose through zoning.
Resource use and infrastructure costs are becoming approval conditions
Local review frameworks focus on water and energy demand, utility infrastructure, and who pays for project impacts. Proposed safeguards include independent water studies, usage reporting tied to enforceable agreements, and cost-recovery rules, while limited water data and the distinction between efficiency and total-use limits remain constraints.
Project support hinges on contested local costs and benefits
Residents’ concerns about resource use and community impacts are challenging proposals even where officials and developers cite investment, jobs, or tax revenue. Whether projects deliver local benefits without shifting costs to residents remains a live constraint on approvals.
Key Numbers
more than 40 counties
Iowa counties drafting data center ordinances
“Ten Iowa counties have data center ordinances, and more than 40 are drafting them.”
$130 billion USD
value of U.S. data center projects halted or delayed by local pushback
“In the first quarter of the year, local pushback halted or delayed roughly 75 U.S. projects worth $130 billion, according to Data Center Watch.”
10-building buildings
buildings in the QTS campus under consideration
“Developer QTS is considering a $10 billion, 10-building campus near Clinton Municipal Airport.”
10,000 computer servers
server-count threshold
“The ordinance would temporarily restrict facilities larger than 100,000 square feet or 2.3 acres, using 75 megawatts of electricity, using 50 gallons of water per minute, or containing 10,000 computer servers.”
100,000 square feet
facility size threshold
“The ordinance would temporarily restrict facilities larger than 100,000 square feet or 2.3 acres, using 75 megawatts of electricity, using 50 gallons of water per minute, or containing 10,000 computer servers.”
Looking Back
148 Day Timeline
May 7
May 31
Jun 24
Jul 21
Aug 14
Sep 7
Oct 1
The Story So Far
No material change
No new-member articles were supplied, so there is no evidence of a material change since the prior state.
Previously
Iowa cities and counties are weighing data center proposals against questions about water and power capacity, land use, infrastructure costs, tax incentives, and community benefits. Some jurisdictions have paused or delayed projects while drafting rules, and the University of Iowa’s decision tool offers local officials a framework for evaluating proposals. The emerging approach will shape how communities balance development with resource planning, public oversight, and the allocation of costs.
All Articles149 articles
Important
The University of Iowa developed an Iowa Data Center Decision Tool to help cities and counties evaluate proposed facilities, infrastructure demands, incentives, and construction impacts statewide.
8/4/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Fort Madison, Iowa, will review extraterritorial zoning and high-impact development ordinances on July 28, 2026 for a proposed AI data center at 2201 S. Business 61 South.
7/28/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Peosta, Iowa City Council passed a six-month moratorium on data center development on June 23, 2026, expiring December 20, 2026.
7/22/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
In Iowa, candidates and counties are debating moratoriums and zoning rules for new data centers after concerns about water, power, and tax incentives.
7/19/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Wisconsin municipalities use zoning, interim ordinances, moratoriums, licensing ordinances, and development agreements to manage large-scale data center development amid growing AI-driven projects.
6/1/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Karis contacted the City of Dubuque in preparation for a possible data center near Dubuque Regional Airport, but no application filed and county moratorium delays City Council action.
7/10/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
The Eau Claire Sustainability Advisory Committee approved data center zoning and environmental recommendations on September 16, 2026, and forwarded them to the Eau Claire City Council in Wisconsin.
9/17/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Marshalltown City Council is considering Ordinance 15123 on August 24 in Marshalltown, Iowa, to temporarily halt data center development while zoning rules are prepared.
8/22/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Greg Nichols supports Marshalltown reviewing data-center zoning rules during the current moratorium, advocating modern cooling and infrastructure standards for future facilities.
8/3/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Linn County, Iowa supervisors approved a July 1 2-1 vote for an 18-month data center moratorium while expanding water-use and planning review requirements.
7/12/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
QTS faces local opposition in Clinton, Iowa, as city officials consider a major data center promising substantial tax revenue while residents question land use, water, infrastructure, and utility impacts.
9/14/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Brown County, Wisconsin municipalities adopted zoning amendments and moratoriums in 2024 to 2025 for hyperscale AI data centers amid resident disputes and infrastructure concerns.
7/27/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Vantage Data Centers continues AI campus construction in Port Washington, Wisconsin as Brown County leaves zoning to municipalities adopting moratoriums and ordinances after local opposition.
6/29/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Clinton officials are drafting rules for hyperscale data centers in Clinton, Iowa, as residents press for safeguards amid QTS's campus plans.
10/1/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Dubuque City Council will debate on Sept. 8 a six-month moratorium on new hyperscale data centers as residents oppose a potential airport-area site.
9/8/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Marshalltown's Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended a four-month moratorium on new data center construction during a public meeting in Marshalltown, Iowa.
8/8/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
The University of Iowa released a data center decision tool for Iowa local governments as major projects expanded across the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City corridor.
8/3/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Linn County, Iowa, began July 20 public input on an EU-2 zoning amendment to allow nuclear-linked data centers while an EU-3 rezoning moratorium remains in force.
7/24/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Palo City Council approved an exclusive-use data center zoning ordinance on July 20, 2026, shifting data center control toward city permitting as Google pursues annexation plans.
7/21/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Marshalltown, Iowa, Planning and Zoning Commission scheduled work sessions, a community roundtable, and public hearings to develop data-center zoning rules after a four-month moratorium.
7/18/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Ames City Council delayed LightEdge’s proposed airport-area data center decision while staff drafted new city code and public review rules for siting and water requirements.
7/15/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Wausau, Wisconsin approved Plan Commission recommendations for new data center zoning rules requiring conditional use permits and water and sound studies before City Council review on July 14, 2026.
7/12/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Wausau, Wisconsin Plan Commission endorsed data-center zoning rules requiring conditional-use permits and technical studies, advancing to a July 14 City Council meeting.
7/10/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Oshkosh Common Council to vote July 14 on a temporary moratorium for new hyperscale AI data centers after a zoning text amendment proposal from Alec Lefeber.
7/10/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Linn County, Iowa, approved a moratorium effective immediately through January 1, 2028 on EU-3 large-scale data center rezoning applications in unincorporated areas.
7/1/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Linn County, Iowa Board approves an 18-month moratorium on EU-3 rezoning applications for large-scale data centers in unincorporated areas, effective immediately.
7/1/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Ames, Iowa city staff briefed on LightEdge data center plans west of Ames Regional Airport, including phased 3 MW-to-25 MW demand and closed-loop cooling, ahead of June 30 public listening session.
6/24/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Madison officials planned draft hyperscale data center zoning rules for fall after a January moratorium, while Dane County approved a moratorium extending to December 2027.
6/18/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Dane County Board Chair Patrick Miles advances a permitting-focused moratorium on hyperscale data center proposals after legal review of Manitowoc County's approach, pending a June 4 vote.
5/27/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Milwaukee city officials delayed a proposed yearlong data-center moratorium on July 28 after attorneys cited missing hearings and potential legal challenges.
7/28/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
About 100 Sheboygan County residents heard Ben Green discuss data center costs and impacts at a Sheboygan forum while the city develops zoning rules under a one-year moratorium.
9/17/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Dubuque residents opposed hyperscale data centers in a city survey, while county and city officials adopted or pursued temporary moratoria in Iowa.
9/13/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Superior, Wisconsin approved a one-year data center moratorium in 2024 while city officials study zoning and utility impacts after local concerns about health, water, and energy use.
6/17/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Iowa cities and counties are reviewing data-center proposals and local rules as AI-driven demand increases electricity, water, and land-use concerns across the state.
9/20/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Marshalltown City Council approved a four-month moratorium on data center construction, directing public rulemaking for Planning and Zoning Commission regulations in Iowa.
7/28/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Alliant Energy expansion approval for the Marshalltown Generating Station coincides with Marshalltown and Marshall County meetings debating data center approvals.
7/13/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Madison Plan Commission will meet June 29 to discuss the City of Madison Data Center Moratorium, focusing on building form, land use rules, and state-imposed limits tied to electricity and water demand.
6/28/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Madison, Wisconsin held a virtual public information meeting on a data center moratorium on June 3, 2026 to discuss staff research and a draft policy timeline.
5/30/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Central City officials are reviewing a proposed Auram Capital Ventures data center this week as residents question infrastructure and community impacts in Central City, Iowa.
9/17/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Waterloo City Council approved a three-month data center moratorium Tuesday in Waterloo, Iowa, while officials develop regulations and consider a six-month hyperscale pause.
9/9/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Burnett County, Wisconsin, town officials discussed a possible data center moratorium and proposed zoning district during a July 23 meeting in Siren.
8/1/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Chippewa County officials in Wisconsin proposed a 10-month moratorium on new large-scale data centers to update zoning rules before applications are submitted.
7/30/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Ames City Council will vote on Tuesday on LightEdge lease negotiations for an airport-adjacent data center while reviewing potential citywide development limitations.
7/12/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Woodbury County, Iowa, plans a one-year moratorium for unincorporated-area data center projects after resident opposition to a MidAmerican Energy site considered for development near Salix.
6/17/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Palo City Council advanced a data center zoning ordinance on June meeting dates after residents criticized water-withdrawal assumptions, traffic impacts, and pollution concerns.
6/2/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
DeForest, Wisconsin, rejected QTS Data Centers' proposed $12 billion hyperscale campus in early 2026 after public opposition halted annexation negotiations involving Alliant Energy.
8/3/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Blue Earth Light and Water plans a 2027 third data center on a 46-acre site west of the West Industrial Park as electricity demand grows from about 11 MW to roughly 140 MW.
7/19/2026 • Power Procurement & Grid • General
About 400 attendees at an Ames City Hall listening session opposed LightEdge's proposed colocation data center near Ames Municipal Airport, citing enforceability, expansion, and power and water impacts.
7/1/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Cedar Rapids officials, researchers, and developers discussed localized water demand from planned data centers during a public forum in Cedar Rapids.
8/18/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Palo, Iowa residents planned testimony at a City Council hearing Monday on a Google data center ordinance near the Duane Arnold Nuclear Power Plant.
6/1/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Palo Iowa advanced a planning ordinance for a planned Google data center near the Duane Arnold nuclear power plant, as residents raised water quality concerns.
5/16/2026 • Water & Cooling • General
Salix City Council rejected a one-year moratorium on Thursday in Salix, Iowa, allowing a proposed Google data center project to continue despite resident and tribal opposition.
8/21/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Interesting
A Marshalltown Board of Adjustment member urged the city to end its data center moratorium, citing shared grid and water impacts and potential local revenue, in Marshalltown, Iowa.
9/26/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Neighbors vs Data Centers organizers Aaron Lynch and Morgan trained Marshalltown, Iowa, residents Saturday on opposing data center development through community outreach and city council engagement.
9/21/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Iowa communities, led in part by former organizer Hugh Espey, are opposing data center expansion through petitions, meetings and moratoriums over resource and environmental concerns.
9/6/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Amber Lawthers urged Marshalltown City Council in Iowa to reject proposed data centers, arguing that environmental risks and public opposition could drive young residents away.
8/31/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement and local residents are challenging data center expansion through protests and moratoriums across Iowa in 2026.
8/9/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
The Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative and University of Iowa partners developed a decision tool to help Iowa communities evaluate data center proposals and resource impacts.
8/3/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement says statewide residents are pushing for county moratoriums on new data centers due to water, energy, farmland, and subsidy impacts.
7/11/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Brown County, Wisconsin committee members on June 2 declined a proposed countywide moratorium on data centers, citing lack of zoning authority over independent municipal rules.
6/3/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Planning bodies in De Pere and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, advanced proposed one-year data center moratoriums Monday night, with final approval pending from both common councils.
9/29/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Waterloo officials approved a 90-day moratorium on new data centers in Waterloo, Iowa, hours after the U.S. Department of Energy announced nearly $2 billion for the nearby Duane Arnold Energy Center restart.
9/15/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Three Salix residents challenged the citys August 2026 annexation of prospective data center land in court, while Google prepared community outreach in Salix, Iowa.
9/3/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
The Cedar Rapids/Linn County Solid Waste Agency board directed staff to draft waste-sorting requirements for QTS and Google construction sites in Cedar Rapids ahead of a vote next month.
8/27/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
The Cedar Rapids Linn County Solid Waste Agency said Google and QTS data center construction projects in Cedar Rapids generated 40 million pounds of waste and included recyclable materials in landfill loads.
8/21/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Lincoln County Commissioner Joel Arends will propose a one-year moratorium on large data centers Tuesday in Canton, South Dakota, covering northern county areas under joint jurisdiction with Sioux Falls.
8/20/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Dubuque City Council will review potential data center regulations during an Aug. 17 work session at the Historic Federal Building in Dubuque, Iowa.
8/11/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Linn County supervisors in Iowa decided Monday to reject EU-2 zoning amendments that would have allowed large data centers near the Duane Arnold Energy Center.
8/10/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Dubuque County zoning officials discussed a data center ordinance in a work session Thursday, citing zoning, land suitability, and electric transmission map constraints.
7/26/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Fairfax City Council in Iowa voted 3-1 to advance an indefinite ban on high-impact data center applications, pending city attorney review and mayor signature.
7/15/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Palo, Iowa City Council voted 4-1 to advance a data center ordinance after a five-week pause on second reading, with strong public opposition and annexation planned next.
7/14/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Dubuque County supervisors agreed to seek county attorney permission to hire a consultant to explore a data center ban while the zoning ordinance moves forward, after airport and economic impact presentations.
7/14/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Sheboygan Plan Commission will review and hold a public hearing on a temporary moratorium for large data centers before directing ordinance drafting by City Attorney.
7/13/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Ida County Board of Supervisors voted in late June to impose an indefinite moratorium on new data center development in Iowa.
7/13/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Dubuque County considers data center rules in 2024 as a 420-acre site near Dubuque Regional Airport faces airport hazard-zone zoning requirements.
7/12/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O'Donnell announced a third data center planned for 1515 33rd Ave. SW, following Linn County large-data-center moratorium actions.
7/8/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Dubuque, Iowa scheduled two July public input meetings and a resident survey to help shape a future data center ordinance.
7/2/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Wright County Planning and Zoning will present a May 19 proposal that could impose a up to 12-month interim moratorium on data-center approvals in Wright County.
7/2/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Ames, Iowa expects a July 14 legal report as City Council considers Lightedge data center lease negotiations and possible citywide regulations after resident public hearings.
7/2/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Linn County, Iowa supervisors voted 2-1 to impose an 18-month moratorium on new data center development in unincorporated areas while newly adopted zoning water rules are evaluated.
7/1/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Linn County Iowa supervisors voted two to one on a data center moratorium on Wednesday after public comment and amendments, with differing views on water and power transparency.
7/1/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
PathOne Data Centers and Sunstone Investments appeared before Sioux County supervisors in Iowa in response to a new data center moratorium after stating an end user was secured before the pause.
6/30/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Oshkosh, Wisconsin officials plan drafting for a potential data center moratorium after resident water and land-use concerns, aligning with a Winnebago County 12-month pause.
6/29/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Sioux County Board of Supervisors planned an informational session on a Hull, Iowa data center proposal after a one-year moratorium on new data centers.
6/28/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Scott Nelson criticized Dubuque County's one-year data center development moratorium as legally weak after supervisors voted to pause projects while drafting an ordinance.
6/24/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Woodbury County supervisors approved a 12-month moratorium on new data center applications in unincorporated Iowa areas to allow research and public input.
6/23/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Mayor Jill Shudak sought a up to one-year moratorium on new data center projects in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to review infrastructure and ordinances amid water and power concerns.
6/19/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
La Crosse County, Wisconsin approved an 18-month data center moratorium in 2026 to pause decisions while a one-year study committee evaluates local impacts.
6/19/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Plymouth County supervisors approved a one-year revocable moratorium on data center and industrial battery storage construction in Iowa on Tuesday, citing rulemaking needs for water, power, and noise.
6/17/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Luther, Oklahoma adopted a six-month moratorium on data center development after public hearings raised water and legal due-process concerns.
6/17/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Winnebago County, Wisconsin, proposed a 12-month moratorium on hyperscale AI data center permitting after concerns about power demand, water use, and local infrastructure strain.
6/17/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Woodbury County, Iowa supervisors planned a one-year data center moratorium after Salix annexed farmland, while MidAmerican Energy confirmed a potential site under consideration within Salix limits.
6/17/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Wausau Plan Commission approved an ordinance defining data centers and establishing conditional-use review requirements in Wausau, Wisconsin, ahead of City Council consideration next month.
6/17/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Wausau, Wisconsin, set a June 16 Plan Commission public hearing to define data centers in zoning and require conditional use permits for future projects.
6/14/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Dane County Executive Melissa Agard signed an 18-month moratorium on hyperscale data centers in Wisconsin after unanimous county board approval.
6/9/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Clinton, Iowa City Council voted 5-2 on whether to impose a temporary data center moratorium, rejecting the freeze tied to a proposed QTS AI facility amid resident opposition and support.
6/9/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
The Advisory Committee on Data Centers met in Dane County, Wisconsin on June 9, 2026 to consider a moratorium on zoning permit applications for data center siting.
6/9/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Palo, Iowa City Council will delay further readings of a data center ordinance after resident pushback over noise, road, and water provisions.
6/8/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Palo City Council approved a data center ordinance on Monday after Linn County-linked opposition to a planned Google annexation near a nuclear plant restart.
6/2/2026 • 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
Dubuque County, Iowa approved a 12-month data center moratorium on Tuesday to draft zoning rules amid resident concerns and city water-connection review requirements.
5/26/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Oneida County, Wisconsin zoning committee drafted a one-year moratorium on data center development amid concerns about power demand, water use, and long-term land use change.
5/24/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Wright County, Minnesota commissioners on May 19 approved an emergency moratorium pausing township data-center applications while the county drafts new permitting rules.
5/22/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Dubuque County Zoning Commission recommended a moratorium on new data-center development to county supervisors after large resident turnout and opposition at a Tuesday meeting.
5/20/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Greenville, Wisconsin Planning Commission approved a one-year moratorium on data centers Monday, pending Village Board final authorization.
5/19/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Common Council voted 7-3 in 2026 to forward a one-year moratorium draft limiting permits for data centers over 10,000 square feet to the Plan Commission.
5/7/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Milwaukee advanced a Midtown data center zoning proposal on June 15, setting a Plan Commission public hearing for June 29 and tightening size limits and noise and energy reporting requirements.
6/15/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Ohio and Georgia residents warn that data center growth could raise water and utility costs, while Iowa highlights operator accountability, grid-funded buildout, and workforce terms.
6/20/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Sheboygan residents and city officials held a September data center discussion in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, while a one-year development moratorium remained in effect.
9/17/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Blackstone-owned QTS has proposed a large data center in Clinton, Iowa, offering projected jobs and tax revenue while nearby residents oppose the site.
9/14/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
In 2026, Kenosha residents urged city officials to pause Microsoft's proposed 240-acre data center development over noise, water, energy, environmental, and transparency concerns.
8/27/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Kenosha residents are asking city officials to impose a moratorium on Microsoft's proposed 240-acre data center after the company purchased the Wisconsin site in early 2025.
8/27/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Linn County residents questioned Supervisor Sami Scheetz on Monday night in Cedar Rapids about data center proposals, the Morgan Valley gas plant, and local oversight.
8/25/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Marshall, Michigan, city officials reported credible death threats against local authorities in August after Marshall adopted a one-year moratorium on new data center development.
8/14/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Marshall police investigated a credible threat against Marshall City Council members in Marshall, Michigan, after unanimous approval of a one-year data center development moratorium.
8/14/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Iowa Colony City Council will consider a July 20 resolution opposing data centers after Brazoria County adopted strict conditional development requirements addressing water, electricity, and community impacts.
7/18/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Salix, Iowa residents protested a proposed 900-acre data center on July 18, ahead of a City Council vote on a moratorium for new data centers.
7/18/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
In Walford, Iowa, city leaders refused a proposed data-center annexation in April while Linn County added impact-study requirements and approved an 18-month moratorium.
7/3/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Lightedge proposed a data center in Ames, Iowa near the municipal airport, with City Council review scheduled for June 23 and a public session set for June 30.
6/21/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Dubuque County supervisors in Iowa approved a 12-month moratorium on data center development applications and approvals after resident opposition during a special meeting Tuesday.
5/27/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Dubuque County, Iowa officials prepared a 120-day moratorium on data center development after zoning meetings and petition-driven opposition near Dubuque Regional Airport.
5/22/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Dubuque County, Iowa zoning commissioners considered recommending a future data center moratorium after residents raised water, land-use, and noise concerns at a public meeting.
5/20/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
An Iowa gubernatorial candidate proposed requiring new data centers to cover full costs and face tax, utility, resource, labor, and public-review conditions across Iowa.
8/5/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Democratic Iowa gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand proposed statewide data center siting, disclosure, and cost requirements during a Marshalltown campaign event.
8/1/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Oppidan plans a 10-megawatt Cedar Rapids data center at 1515 33rd Ave. SW, using closed-loop cooling and Alliant Energy power, with construction starting in late fall or early spring.
7/10/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General
Salix city leaders rejected a proposed 12-month data-center moratorium Thursday in Salix, Iowa, allowing Google and MidAmerican Energy to continue early project discussions.
8/21/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Hancock County supervisors in Iowa are considering an ordinance for data centers and related facilities after residents raised concerns during a recent public meeting.
8/8/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Dubuque County supervisors are seeking emergency-management information about a potential data center in Dubuque County, Iowa, during 2026 planning discussions.
8/1/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Dubuque County, Iowa held a first public town hall on a data-center ordinance in Peosta after a 12-month development halt, amid concerns about water quality and utilities.
6/24/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Clinton, Iowa residents and city leaders discussed a proposed QTS Data Centers campus at a committee meeting after concerns about water and electricity impacts.
5/26/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Rob Sand proposed data center utility-cost coverage and disclosure requirements in Iowa as communities debate resource use, tax benefits, and local development.
8/8/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
A former Marshall County development director urges Marshalltown, Iowa to delay a two-year data center moratorium and instead coordinate with Alliant Energy and Marshalltown Water Works.
6/22/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
The University of Iowa launched an online data center decision tool for local governments in Iowa to assess proposed projects before development approvals.
8/4/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Additional
More than 100 Marshalltown residents discussed data center regulations at a Thursday public roundtable as city officials gathered information before drafting rules.
8/29/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Marshalltown's city council recently enacted a four-month moratorium on data center development after residents raised environmental, safety, tax, and land-use concerns in Marshalltown, Iowa.
8/28/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Salix officials postponed an Aug. 12 city council meeting in Iowa after social media death and terrorist threats linked to a proposed Google data center were reported to county authorities.
8/20/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Jason White and Dubuque County Board of Supervisors candidates discussed July 13, 2026 data center economic forecasts for Dubuque County, Iowa.
7/17/2026 • Market Demand & Investment • General
Two hyperscale data centers are boosting union employment and overtime in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, while requiring outside contractors and intensifying material shortages.
9/7/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General
Iowa gubernatorial candidates Rob Sand and Zach Lahn proposed data center tax changes in Iowa as counties enacted moratoriums and policymakers debated permitting and resource impacts.
8/31/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Zach Lahn proposed a temporary moratorium on Iowa data center projects Monday in West Des Moines, citing the need for development rules and community benefits.
8/25/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Democratic candidate Rob Sand proposed ending Iowa data center tax incentives on July 21 during campaign events in northwest Iowa, while Republican Zach Lahn advocated a moratorium and higher taxes.
8/4/2026 • Project Finance & Incentives • General
Growing Iowa's Economy launched in Iowa amid local data-center debates to promote development while addressing energy costs, water use, noise, and community input.
8/3/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Cedar Rapids mayor Tiffany O'Donnell said tax-credit and betterment-fund terms for southwest-side data center projects will offset revenue impacts from Iowa property-tax reforms.
7/25/2026 • Project Finance & Incentives • General
Clinton, Iowa City Council voted against a moratorium as Google, LightEdge, and other developers advance hyperscale and colocation projects statewide.
7/14/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General
MidAmerican Energy evaluated newly annexed acreage in Salix, Iowa as a potential data center site, drawing community concerns at a council meeting.
6/11/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General
Greater Iowa City, Inc. and the Hubbell Environmental Law Institute discussed rapid data center growth in Iowa and community needs for transparent siting, water forecasting, and regulatory coordination.
6/10/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Wisconsin and Iowa communities have paused proposed data center projects through moratoriums while evaluating grid demand, water use, noise, construction impacts, and local regulation.
5/26/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
QTS and Google data center construction in Linn County, Iowa, coincided with record Cedar Rapids hotel occupancy and a 146% hotel tax increase after groundbreaking.
7/21/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General
Karis sought hundreds of acres near Dubuque Regional Airport in Dubuque County, Iowa, with May 15 emails to zoning administrator Ben Kober amid local moratorium debate.
6/26/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General