October 21, 2026
A permanent public ledger of 153 verified actions on the record. Each entry links directly to its underlying primary government document, council minutes, regulatory filing, or corroborated news report.
Opposition and Press Signals for October 21, 2026
National press investigations, local moratoriums, litigation, and community ratepayer pushbackUmatilla declares local state of emergency over Kotek data center directive (opens in a new tab)
Governor Tina Kotek directed the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to pause processing of air and water discharge permit applications for new or expanded data centers until July 1, 2027. The pause prompted Umatilla City Council to declare a local state of emergency and Umatilla County Commissioners to seek legal representation.
Utah County Data Center Meeting Ends in Activist Arrest (opens in a new tab)
Residents and activists protested a Utah County Planning Commission vote on data center regulations, calling for stricter limits and an outright ban rather than the proposed ordinance. The meeting ended with activist Aspen Azalea being removed and arrested after a physical confrontation.
White House Calls for Community Dividends and Behind the Meter Power Mandates (opens in a new tab)
Responding to voter pushback over utility rate increases, President Trump urged data center developers to pay direct dividends to host communities and generate their own power.
The Atlantic: The Data Center Rebellion Is Just Beginning (opens in a new tab)
Analysis of nationwide pushback against data centers, documenting community disputes over electricity bills, water usage, and carbon emissions across both parties ahead of the midterms.
Is Data Center Expansion in Utah a Concern? (opens in a new tab)
Utah residents have raised concerns about environmental impact and water usage associated with multiple data center proposals. The Stratos project in Box Elder County faces community opposition despite developer claims about sustainable operations.
UPDATE: Texas halts online environmental permit filing amid data center review (opens in a new tab)
Texas environmental regulators disclosed that certain data center permits continued processing in the month since Governor Abbott ordered a permitting pause.
Protest and Arrest at Utah County Planning Commission Over Data Center Overlay (opens in a new tab)
Citizens rallied against zoning amendments for data center developments in unincorporated county lands, resulting in a public demonstration and confrontation.
Gonnelli Wants Height Limits For New Data Centers Near Residential Areas (opens in a new tab)
Secaucus Mayor Mike Gonnelli proposed a two story height limit for data centers located near residential areas and planned to present the proposal to the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority.
Umatilla City Council Votes 5-0 on Emergency Resolution Opposing State Permit Pause (opens in a new tab)
The Umatilla City Council voted five to zero on an emergency resolution opposing Oregon Governor Tina Kotek pause on data center air quality permits, citing municipal revenue and infrastructure losses.
Page wants St. Louis County Health Department to monitor data center noise (opens in a new tab)
St. Louis County Planning Commission approved recommendations for data center zoning standards and noise monitoring based on facility size. County Executive Sam Page is urging the county council to empower the health department to monitor low frequency noise county wide.
Gilbert AZ Data Center Rules Delayed to December Vote (opens in a new tab)
Gilbert Town Council delayed a vote on proposed data center zoning restrictions to December. The amendments would limit facilities to specific industrial zones, require 650 foot buffers from residential areas, and prohibit drinking water use for cooling systems.
Wisconsin Rapids rejects permit for proposed data center (opens in a new tab)
The Wisconsin Rapids Common Council voted 7-0 to reject a conditional use permit for PNK Group's hyperscale data center and imposed a one year moratorium on all data center projects in the city.
Hillsboro City Council adopts first round of new data center restrictions (opens in a new tab)
Hillsboro adopted a permanent ordinance restricting data center development by limiting where facilities can operate, capping acreage at 608 acres in specific zones, requiring public hearings for new projects, and restricting accessory data centers to 25 percent of site acreage.
Michigan City Moves to Adopt Moratorium on Future Data Centers Through 2028 (opens in a new tab)
Common Council advanced a moratorium restricting new data center construction until July 2028 while grandfathering existing approved projects.
Archbald Borough Council Unanimously Denies Conditional Use Permit for 578-Acre Wildcat Ridge Data Center Campus in Pennsylvania (opens in a new tab)
Following nine public hearings between January and September 2026, the seven member Archbald Borough Council in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania voted unanimously to deny Cornell Realty Management's conditional use zoning application for the 14 building, 578 acre Wildcat Ridge Data Center Campus.
Amazon hosts 'Opportunity Day' in Montgomery County, many still divided over data centers (opens in a new tab)
Community members expressed opposition to Amazon and Google data center projects in Montgomery County, citing construction delays, environmental degradation, and concerns that local residents were not benefiting from or consulted about the developments.
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Little Rock
Little Rock Board of Directors rejected a six month moratorium on large data centers in a 4-4 vote.
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Clackamas County
Public hearings will be held Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 6 p.m. and Thursday, Oct. 22, at 10 a.m.
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Memphis
Memphis city council voted against a data center moratorium proposal.
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Memphis
Memphis city council rejected a one year data center moratorium on Tuesday and passed a substitute ordinance halting construction for 135 days.
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Suffolk
City Council set to vote on data center ban on October 21.
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Wisconsin Rapids
Wisconsin Rapids enacted 12 month moratorium on data center construction with additional restrictions on future data centers.
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Wisconsin Rapids
Wisconsin Rapids Common Council voted to deny conditional use permit for PNK Group data center on former paper mill site.
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Wisconsin Rapids
Wisconsin Rapids Common Council voted 7-0 to reject a conditional use permit for a hyper scale data center.
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paris-marx, Technology Journalist and Author of Hyperscale, The Atlantic
"The outcome of the November midterms will determine more than just what the next two years will hold for Trump; they could also decide the fate of the data-center boom across the U.S." Said October 21, 2026.
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Donald Trump, President of the United States, US federal government
"If companies want to make their Data Centers popular, pay the community, and/or individuals within the community, a "dividend." I have watched the process closely, and Data Centers that were highly unpopular in a certain area, have become extremely popular when a financial deal is struck. MAKE DEALS, and get them built!!! GREAT FOR THE U.S.A." Said October 21, 2026, Truth Social.
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Republican candidate for Louisiana 3rd Congressional District
Kate Cotten, Republican challenger in Louisiana's 3rd Congressional District, said she opposes shifting the cost of new power infrastructure onto ratepayers if data centers are the reason for the higher rates. Said October 21, 2026.
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Republican candidate for Louisiana 3rd Congressional District
Kate Cotten said she does not have enough information to take a firm position on SpaceX incentives but is skeptical of promised benefits and concerned about environmental costs. Said October 21, 2026.
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Emily Smith, Economic development manager, Amazon
"We have our internal construction team, our operations team, we have the trade unions. We have our general contractors, subcontractors, and local community colleges all here to share opportunities available for the projects." Said October 21, 2026, Amazon Opportunity Day event.
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Sam Page, County Executive, St. Louis County
"The role of the public health department does not stop at municipal boundaries. We're watching what's happening across the country. And what we're hearing now are there are some data centers in place that produce this low frequency rumbling noise that disrupts folks that are close by, and we need to get in front of that." Said October 21, 2026, St. Louis County Council.
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Mike Gonnelli, Mayor, Secaucus
"He wants any new data center that opens in town to be no taller than two stories, if it's located near a residential part of town." Said October 21, 2026, NJSEA meeting.
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David Stockdale, City Manager, Umatilla City
"The city has not spent any money that has not come in yet." Said October 21, 2026, Umatilla City Council meeting.
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Joanna Lyons-Antley, City Attorney, Umatilla City
"How do you apply the same permitting rules with the basis of environmental studies, and understanding and the data that should back whether a permit is approved." Said October 21, 2026, Umatilla City Council meeting.
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Edmund Campbell, Land Use Counsel, Cornell Realty Management
"I know that what I am asking you to do is not popular. But quite frankly we have met the standards under the ordinance and we ask you to approve it." Said October 21, 2026, Archbald Borough Council hearing.
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Tamara Misewicz-Healey, Co-Founder, Stop Archbald Data Centers
"I know it is not over but we are going to take the win that it was and we are going to continue on. We know that this is unfortunately a marathon but we live here and we are not going anywhere." Said October 21, 2026.
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John Belizaire, Chief Executive Officer, Soluna Holdings, Inc.
"We have said for a long time that the constraint in AI is energy access, not chips. We built Soluna to bring load to the generation, so the power would be ready when the demand arrived. Partnering with Applied at Dorothy 3 puts that strategy to work: our site and wind power, combined with a proven builder and operator of AI data centers." Said October 21, 2026, Morningstar article.
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Democratic candidate for U.S. House (District 21), Texas
Hook said she wants to put a stop to the construction of artificial intelligence data centers in TX-21. Said October 21, 2026.
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Seth Cox, Commission board member, Utah County Planning Commission
"anyone who uses a cellphone is, in effect, a data-center customer, and that the rules are intended to protect county residents rather than simply approve projects." Said October 21, 2026, Utah County Planning Commission meeting.
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Seth Cox, Utah County Planning Commission board member, said data centers are like landfills that nobody wants near them but everyone uses. Said October 21, 2026.
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board chair of Utah County Planning Commission
Shayne Pierce, board chair of the Utah County Planning Commission, said the ordinance sets limits on data center development for unincorporated parts of Utah County that did not exist before. Said October 21, 2026.
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Data Center Operator
Aligned Data Centers stated that it commissioned an acoustic study and installed a sound barrier at its West Jordan campus after residents reported humming noise from the facility. Said October 21, 2026.
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Spanish Fork City Council member Kevin Oyler stated that the Novva data center campus five miles away in West Jordan is quiet. Said October 21, 2026.
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Utah County Sheriff's Office, Law Enforcement Agency
One woman was booked into the Utah County Jail and two other attendees were cited following the disturbance at the Utah County Planning Commission meeting. The woman refused to leave, argued with deputies, and struck a deputy in the groin while being removed from a row of chairs as two others grabbed her, after which she and a deputy went to the ground; Provo Fire Department EMS evaluated her for reported jaw pain and found no immediate emergency injuries. Said October 21, 2026.
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Matt Zacher, Mayor, City of Wisconsin Rapids
"If we let them build it and it is a really horrible data center, we are living with it for the next 20, 50, 70 years. And we don't want that for the community, if we can help it on the front end. Build it right the first time, and we'll be OK." Said October 21, 2026, Wisconsin Rapids Common Council meeting.
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Google West Memphis Data Center
Entergy Arkansas filed heavily redacted amended application for Google West Memphis data center project. The record reads proposed, October 21, 2026.
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Memphis
Memphis Mayor Paul Young issued an executive order to establish a 90 day study period on impacts of data center development.
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The Atlantic Examines Bipartisan Local Backlash Against U.S. Data Center Buildout Ahead of Midterms
Author Paris Marx documented rising municipal moratoriums, litigation, and voter anger over utility rate hikes in The Atlantic, framing data center siting as a cross aisle issue in the November 2026 midterm elections.
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Trump Calls for Data Center "Community Dividends" and Behind-the-Meter Self-Generation
Responding to bipartisan voter backlash over rising electricity bills ahead of the midterms, President Trump stated on Truth Social that large data centers are "mandated by me to make their own electricity" and urged tech companies to pay local residents a direct "dividend" to win community approval. While lacking statutory force over state utility commissions, the statement signals that federal political backing for AI infrastructure is increasingly tied to local financial concessions.
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President Trump: Data center firms should offer local residents dividends to get communities on side
President Trump urged data center developers to pay local residents direct dividends to overcome community opposition to projects.
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Hitachi Energy teams up with Ansaldo to develop integrated power solutions for data center sector and grid
Hitachi Energy and Ansaldo Energia signed a memorandum of understanding to develop integrated power generation and grid infrastructure solutions for data centers and large scale electricity consumers.
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Meta opens Huntsville data center doors amid local concerns over water and power use - Yahoo
Meta opened its Huntsville data center to local media, addressing resident concerns about water use and energy costs.
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Entergy plans $600 million power upgrades for Google's West Memphis data center - kjnbtv.com
Entergy Arkansas plans $600 million in power upgrades including battery storage, solar power, and transmission lines to support Google's expanding West Memphis data center, with Google covering all costs and requiring state regulatory approval.
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Little Rock board rejects 6 month data center moratorium - Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
The Little Rock Board of Directors rejected a proposed six month moratorium on large data center projects in a 4-4 tie vote, mirroring an August rejection of an 18 month moratorium.
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Little Rock board rejects 6 month data center moratorium - The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Little Rock Board of Directors rejected a six month moratorium on large data centers in a 4-4 vote, matching an earlier tied vote on an 18 month moratorium.
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AI data centers boost Arizona construction jobs: Here’s why - AZ Family
Construction industry leaders in Arizona say AI data center expansion is creating strong demand for skilled trades workers, with training classes filling up.
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Gilbert AZ Data Center Rules Delayed to December Vote
Gilbert Town Council debated data center zoning amendments and pushed the vote to December. The proposal would limit facilities to specific industrial zones, require 650 foot buffers from residential areas, prohibit drinking water use for cooling, cap height at 55 feet, and ban evaporative cooling systems and cooling towers.
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Arizona Data Center Giant Addresses Growth, Community Concerns - Yahoo
ABC15 reported on Arizona's data center industry growth and addressed concerns over tax breaks, resource demands, and community impacts, featuring NTT's Mesa data center campus.
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What Arizona’s data center boom means for skilled trade careers - KTTC
BuildStrong Academy in Phoenix offers free nine week trade courses for construction workers as Arizona's data center boom increases demand for skilled labor to build and wire facilities.
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What Arizona’s data center boom means for skilled trade careers - AZ Family
BuildStrong Academy in Phoenix says data center growth will drive demand for skilled trades workers and offers free nine week training courses for construction and installation roles.
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No Data Center Coming to Santa Barbara’s Earl Warren Showgrounds - The Santa Barbara Independent
Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara rejected a proposal from Global Stack U.S.A. to build data centers in parking structures, stating the facility will not pursue such projects.
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2 Colorado cities pass temporary bans on new data center applications - CBS News
Four Colorado municipalities acted on data centers: Brighton and Lafayette passed temporary bans lasting one year and 18 months; Littleton and Fort Collins held first readings on six month moratoriums; Aurora delayed a vote on an indefinite moratorium to October 26; Denver created a working group to develop policy.
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Colorado utility regulators to decide whether Xcel's data center tariff proposal protects customers - The Colorado Sun
Colorado's Public Utilities Commission held hearings on Xcel Energy's proposed large load tariff for data centers, with environmental and consumer advocates seeking stronger protections and industry groups pushing for lighter requirements.
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Crusoe plans Spark Liquid modular data center to support latest Nvidia GPUs
Crusoe Energy developed a liquid cooled modular data center with 3.5MW capacity per unit, deployable in 20-50MW clusters, supporting Nvidia GB300 GPUs, with production starting in 2027.
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Two Colorado cities pass data center moratoriums - CBS News
Two Colorado cities passed temporary bans on building new data centers on Tuesday.
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Effingham County votes to hire firm to oversee Phase 1 of data center - Savannah Morning News
Effingham County commissioners voted unanimously to hire Charles Abbott Associates to oversee the first phase of Project Camellia data center, selecting the firm for project oversight including civil, site, building and structural review.
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IVEC's forums on data centers won't decide issue, but promote thoughtful conversation - Statesboro Herald
Georgia Southern University is hosting deliberative forums in Statesboro to gather community input on data center development, with no binding recommendation expected.
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Georgia tops nation for data center construction, but relatively few in Gwinnett - Gwinnett Daily Post
Georgia officials cite competitive advantages of tech friendly tax policy and infrastructure, while data center opponents raise concerns about environmental impact, though Gwinnett County has relatively few projects.
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Rural Iowa resident feels ‘betrayed’ as data center plans develop in her front yard - Iowa Starting Line
The Salix City Council approved a memorandum of understanding with Google for a proposed 900 acre data center adjacent to a resident's property, generating community concerns about disruption to the rural area.
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Adair County Sets Third Public Hearing on Data Center Ordinance - KSOM
Adair County set a third public hearing for December 2 on a proposed ordinance regulating data center and cryptocurrency mining facility siting, construction, operation and decommissioning in unincorporated areas.
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Estherville Council Hears Presentation on Potential Data Center Development - Northwest Iowa Now
PathOne presented a potential data center project in Estherville, Iowa, a small scale facility of approximately 100,000 square feet requiring 25 megawatts of power and employing 15 to 25 people.
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Report: Iowa data center boom carries billions in economic impact - KCRG
Iowa's data center industry is on track to triple capacity by 2031, with companies investing 15 billion dollars already and announcing another 38 billion, supporting nearly 13,000 construction jobs and pushing total data center jobs from 12,600 to about 29,600.
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Linn County gets 137 bids for data center advisory committee seats - KGAN
Linn County, Iowa received 137 applications for a Data Center Advisory Committee that will review how large scale data centers should be regulated during an 18 month moratorium approved in July 2026.
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Waste from data center projects is pressuring the Cedar Rapids landfill , and may have to go elsewhere - Iowa Public Radio
Cedar Rapids landfill received 203,832 tons of waste in fiscal 2026, a 12% increase attributed partly to hyperscale data center construction in Linn County, shortening landfill capacity to 10 to 13 years.
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The Economic Impact of Data Centers in Iowa - Common Sense Institute
Report estimates Iowa data center owners have invested or announced at least 53 billion dollars through 2031, with 2,324 megawatts of operating capacity ranking second in Midwest, and announced projects would add 5,257 megawatts by 2031.
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Illinois bill requires data centers to report electricity use - AOL.com
Illinois House Bill 5826 would require data centers to report hourly power use and obtain clean energy credits, with penalties for non compliance.
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Data center proposed for former Alton Steel mill
TerraWatt, a San Francisco based developer, plans to demolish the century old Alton Steel mill and construct a 200 megawatt data center called Riverbend Technology Center with potential to expand to five blocks. The project is projected to generate 4,800 construction jobs and 50 permanent positions.
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Data center proposed for former Alton Steel site - First Alert 4
TerraWatt proposed the Riverbend Technology Center, a data center on the 381 acre former Alton Steel site in Illinois, pending rezoning and Ameren Illinois site study.
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Fort Wayne officials move toward data center zoning regulations following failed moratorium - WOWO
Fort Wayne city council rejected a one year data center moratorium in a 4-4 vote, prompting officials to pursue zoning regulations instead.
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Brightray Signs LOI for Planned 10MW Prefab Data Center in Indiana - ConstructConnect News
Brightray signed a letter of intent for a planned 10 megawatt AI data center in Indiana with factory prefabricated modules, targeting delivery within one year subject to final agreement by November 15.
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Over half of Indiana counties now restrict data centers - WFYI
Over half of Indiana's 92 counties, at least 50, have now adopted restrictions on data centers, ranging from bans and temporary moratoriums to regulatory ordinances, according to tracking by Indiana University's Environmental Resilience Institute.
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Michigan City advances data center moratorium as residents push to limit Google project
Michigan City Council advanced a data center moratorium on Tuesday as residents pushed for limits on a Google project.
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Michigan City residents concerned about new data center moratorium ordinance - Chicago Tribune
Michigan City council moved to adopt a temporary moratorium on data center development until July 31, 2028, exempting Google's project already under construction.
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Amazon funds 960MW SMR plant study for Indiana data centers - ET Datacenters
Amazon funds a feasibility study for a 960 MW advanced nuclear plant in Sullivan County, Indiana to power data centers, with Amazon committed to purchasing output under a long term contract.
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Boyce secures $4 million data center deal, exceeding town's annual revenue - The Center Square
Applied Digital reached a community benefit agreement with Boyce, Louisiana to provide $4 million to the town for the Delta Forge 1 AI data center, part of a broader $3.6 billion project with payments to taxing authorities totaling approximately $572 million over 25 years.
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Candidates challenging Rep. Higgins weigh in on SpaceX, carbon capture, data centers - KPLC 7 News
Five candidates for Louisiana's 3rd Congressional District stated positions on data centers, SpaceX, and carbon capture ahead of the November 2026 election.
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Groups fight Louisiana shielding of Meta data center records - The Black Chronicle
Louisiana advocacy groups sued state utility regulators over their decision to block public access to Meta data center records on electricity demand and economic benefits.
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Dan Cox vows data center ban in Maryland if elected governor - WBAL-TV
Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Cox vowed to ban data centers permanently in Maryland and enact a temporary freeze if elected.
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Data center opposition a key issue in Md. gov. race - DC News Now
Maryland Republican gubernatorial nominee Dan Cox called for the state to halt future data center development.
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Elections, data centers, education take center stage at Bridge Issues Summit - Bridge Michigan
Bridge Michigan held a summit on data centers among other issues, with journalism panels moderated by reporters discussing the topic's controversy.
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El Sayed Says Bitcoin Data Center Next to Nature Based School in Michigan Exemplifies Need for Regulation - Common Dreams
Michigan politician El Sayed cited noise impacts from a Bitcoin mining data center near a nature based school as an example of why regulation is needed.
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Michigan residents fight potential $6.4bn datacenter bill: ‘That is insanity’ - The Guardian
DTE Energy proposed building 2.1 gigawatts of gas generation capacity in 2031 and 2032 to meet datacenter demand, with a potential total need of roughly 6 gigawatts if all contracted datacenters come online.
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Power grid operator seeks new rules for data centers - Finance & Commerce
MISO proposed new grid connection rules for large data centers and other high demand facilities using over 50 megawatts across its 15 state region, including Minnesota and Wisconsin, to protect grid reliability and accommodate AI driven electricity demand growth.
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Amazon hosts 'Opportunity Day' in Montgomery County, many still divided over data centers
Amazon held a workforce development event in Montgomery County, Missouri, highlighting employment opportunities from its data center project while community members expressed frustration over construction disruptions and environmental concerns.
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Page wants St. Louis County Health Department to monitor data center noise
St. Louis County Planning Commission approved recommendations for data center zoning standards including setback and noise monitoring requirements. County Executive Sam Page urged the county council to empower the health department to monitor low frequency noise county wide.
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Who pays for data center power? Missouri faces a major test - STLtoday.com
Missouri's Office of Public Counsel urges the state's utility regulator to require data centers to pay their full cost of service rather than spreading costs to residential customers, citing a hearing on a 220 megawatt natural gas plant proposed for western Missouri.
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St. Louis County Nears New Data Center Rules - STL.News
St. Louis County is moving closer to establishing data center regulations, including a four tier classification system, minimum 500 foot setback from residential areas, and requirements for annual reporting and environmental oversight.
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Southaven Data Center Roundtable Airs Noise, Buyout Concerns - DeSoto County News
Southaven residents brought complaints about noise, buyout offers and secrecy at a data center roundtable attended by state officials, as Memphis considers a moratorium and Southaven has approved a fifth SpaceXAI facility.
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Durham group seeks NC-wide data center pause - CBS17.com
A Durham group is seeking a statewide data center pause in North Carolina.
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North Dakota committee advances AI protections, weighs data center regulations - WDAY Radio
North Dakota's interim AI and Data Center Committee voted to advance a proposal on AI consumer protections and a state AI Council, while deferring a separate chatbot bill for further work.
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Data center legislation begins to take shape in North Dakota - North Dakota Monitor
North Dakota lawmaker Anna Novak is drafting legislation to regulate data center electricity costs, water use and decommissioning, reflecting state efforts to establish standards on three major citizen concerns.
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Lancaster County task force begins work on rural data center regulations
Lancaster County formed a 13 member task force to study data center regulations for rural areas, with two potential projects under exploration but no facilities yet in the county.
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In New England, towns are using a very old approach to take on data centers
New England towns are using local zoning and moratoria to restrict data center development, with Nottingham, New Hampshire enacting a one year moratorium and Holyoke, Massachusetts banning them outright.
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Gonnelli Wants Height Limits For New Data Centers Near Residential Areas
Secaucus Mayor Mike Gonnelli announced plans to request the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority impose a two story maximum height limit for data centers near residential neighborhoods, excluding the already approved CoreSite facility at 215 County Avenue.
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Got a Minute? Independent governor candidate Danielle Ford discusses education, data centers, voter ID - FOX5 Vegas
Independent Nevada governor candidate Danielle Ford, a Nevada State Board of Education member, calls for pausing data center expansion pending legislation on whistleblower protections and information transparency.
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NV Energy’s Standard Large Load Agreement Scrutinized - RTO Insider
Nevada utilities commission debates NV Energy's proposal for a standard energy supply agreement for large load customers, with some parties calling for a large load tariff instead; five customers have already signed ahead of commission approval.
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Data center gas plant proposal awaits public hearing - NBC4 WCMH-TV
The Ohio Power Siting Board will hold a public hearing on October 23 on a proposed natural gas plant in New Albany to power neighboring data centers.
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Ohio U.S. Senate candidates make their case to voters weary of data centers - News 5 Cleveland WEWS
Ohio U.S. Senate candidates debated data center policy ahead of the 2026 midterm election, with Democrat Sherrod Brown citing $2.5 billion in state tax giveaways and 225 data centers in Ohio, while Republican Jon Husted defended his regulatory efforts.
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Ohio High Court Keeps Proposed $3.6B Data Center on Ice - Engineering News-Record
Ohio Supreme Court upheld Lordstown's data center moratorium, keeping Bristolville 25 Developer's $3.6 billion four building campus on a 133 acre site stalled indefinitely.
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Dramatic drop in economic benefits projected for Ohio data centers - Yahoo
A new analysis found that projected economic benefits from Ohio data centers are on track to dramatically decline in coming years despite generating billions to date.
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VOTE: Would a dividend payment make you support a data center in your community? - NBC Montana
President Trump proposed that AI companies generating their own electricity pay financial dividends to communities hosting data centers to ease opposition to projects.
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Data center surge driving up electric costs across Ohio, consumer advocate warns - Richland Source
The director of the Ohio Consumers' Council stated that rapid data center expansion across Ohio is driving up electricity demand and wholesale prices, contributing to an affordability crisis for residential consumers facing multi year utility rate increases.
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Sherrod Brown Attacks Ohio Data Centers as Wife Holds Up to $550K in Mutual Funds Invested in Tech Giants Behind Expansion - Breitbart News
Senator Sherrod Brown criticized Ohio data centers while his wife held mutual fund investments with indirect exposure to Amazon, Microsoft, Nvidia, Meta, and Alphabet.
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Sen. James Lankford discusses data centers, energy costs and federal permitting during Tul - KOKI FOX 23
U.S. Senator James Lankford stated that data center locations matter and local communities should have a voice in where facilities are built, and that federal legislation aims to prevent ratepayers from bearing infrastructure costs of new data centers.
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Gavel to Gavel: Emerging legal hurdles for data center developers in Oklahoma - The Journal Record
Attorneys outlined emerging legal challenges for Oklahoma data center developers, including citizen petitions, open records requirements, tribal sovereignty, and new state laws.
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Umatilla declares local state of emergency over Kotek data center directive
Umatilla City Council declared a local state of emergency over concerns about financial losses after Governor Tina Kotek requested a pause on environmental permit applications for new or expanded data centers until July 1, 2027. The city raised legal concerns about the governor's directive and its potential impact on future revenue from data center agreements.
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Hillsboro City Council adopts first round of new data center restrictions
Hillsboro City Council unanimously adopted permanent data center code amendments on October 20 that limit where facilities can operate, cap their acreage, require public hearings, and restrict smaller data center operations. Standalone data centers are now permitted primarily in specific industrial zones with cumulative acreage caps totaling 608 acres, down from approximately 6,600 acres previously allowed.
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Data centers boosted one Oregon town's economy, but some residents have had enough - Marketplace.org
Meta's Prineville data center campus has grown to 11 buildings covering 3.2 million square feet, with combined Meta and Apple investments totaling 8 billion dollars, transforming Prineville's economy from a declining timber industry.
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Umatilla declares emergency over lost revenue from Gov. Kotek’s data center permit pause - Oregon Capital Chronicle
Umatilla, Oregon City Council declared an emergency over Governor Kotek's pause on data center permits, citing losses exceeding six million dollars directly and up to twelve million in anticipated infrastructure contributions.
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Archbald Borough Council Unanimously Denies Conditional Use Permit for 578-Acre Wildcat Ridge Data Center Campus in Pennsylvania
Following nine public hearings between January and September 2026, the seven member Archbald Borough Council in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania voted unanimously to deny Cornell Realty Management's conditional use zoning application for the 14 building, 578 acre Wildcat Ridge Data Center Campus.
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Pennsylvania residents fight a new data center despite $10,000 promises - The Cool Down
NorthPoint Development's planned data center in Hazle Township, Pennsylvania was halted by a court order and municipal moratorium after residents of nearby Eagle Rock Resort opposed the project, despite the developer offering 4,500 households $10,000 each from a $165 million community fund.
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EXPLAINER | What should Pennsylvania communities be asking about data center projects? - WJAC
Kerry Dugan, founder of ESP.Earth and former U.S. Department of Energy official, advised Pennsylvania communities to demand transparency on water use, cooling systems, jobs, power sources, backup power, monitoring and public commitments rather than accepting tax abatements from data center developers.
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Damascus holds public hearing on data center ordinance - The River Reporter
Damascus Township, Pennsylvania held a public hearing on its data center ordinance on October 6, with residents raising questions about noise standards, setbacks, decommissioning, and nuclear microreactors.
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Spartanburg County weighs new rules for data center development - FOX Carolina News
Spartanburg County Land Use Committee discussed potential amendments to the Performance Zoning Ordinance to establish permanent data center regulations addressing size, equipment, proximity to homes, setbacks, buffers, noise mitigation and electricity and water use effects.
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Rapid City Residents Weigh In On Data Center Ordinance - Dakota News Network
Hundreds of Rapid City residents attended an open house to discuss updates to a data center ordinance originally passed in December.
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Aberdeen mayor explains why council decided to extend data center moratorium - Dakota News Now
Aberdeen extended a data center moratorium to July 2027 to allow time to draft an ordinance addressing size, noise, water and electrical use.
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Tennessee in Ten 10-21-26: Memphis data center moratorium vote fails - Action News 5
A Memphis data center moratorium vote failed.
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Memphis fails to pass 1-year data center moratorium during heated city council meeting - CBS News
Memphis city council rejected a proposed one year data center moratorium after a heated public meeting.
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RAW: TN: MEMPHIS DATA CENTER MORATORIUM DOESN'T PASS - Local 3 News
A proposed data center moratorium failed in a Memphis city council vote.
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Memphis leaders reject contentious 18 month pause on new data center development - Local 3 News
Memphis city council rejected an 18 month moratorium on new data center development in a 6-6 tie vote Tuesday, after contentious debate over SpaceXAI facilities and air pollution.
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Tennessee in Ten 10-21-26: Memphis data center moratorium vote fails - WVLT
Memphis city council voted against a data center moratorium proposal.
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Morristown TN Passes Data Center Zoning Ordinance - Hoodline
Morristown City Council passed a zoning ordinance on October 21 requiring data centers to locate 500 feet from homes and schools with indoor equipment, differing from Hamblen County's one year moratorium on high intensity electrical load facilities.
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Memphis councilors reject 18 month data center moratorium
Memphis City Council rejected an 18 month moratorium and instead approved a 135 day ban on new data center applications while a 90 day review of digital infrastructure impacts proceeds.
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RAW: TN: MEMPHIS LEADERS REJECT 18 MONTH DATA CENTER PAUSE - Local 3 News
Memphis City Council rejected an 18 month moratorium on data centers in a council vote.
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Morristown City Council passes limits on how, where data centers are built and operated - WVLT
Morristown City Council passed zoning limits on data center development on second reading 6-1, requiring centers be built in heavy industrial zones with 500 foot setbacks from residences, schools and government buildings, with all equipment inside buildings.
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Memphis fails to pass 1 year data center moratorium, instead opting for a shorter term ban - CBS News
Memphis city council rejected a one year data center moratorium and instead passed a 135 day construction ban.
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Are data centers good neighbors? What candidates for Texas HD 71 say - Abilene Reporter-News
Candidates for Texas House District 71 express views on data centers, with Republican Jay Hardaway saying companies can be partners if held accountable, and Democrat Diana Luna saying tax fairness and community input are needed.
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UPDATE: Texas halts online environmental permit filing amid data center review
Texas environmental regulators continued processing certain data center permits in the month following Governor Abbott's pause order, prompting state action to halt online permit filings.
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Soluna Agrees to Form Strategic Partnership with Applied Digital to Develop Wind-Powered AI Data Center in Texas
Soluna and Applied Digital formed a joint venture to develop a 50 MW data center at Project Dorothy 3 in Briscoe County, powered by wind and grid, with ChronoScale signing a letter of intent to lease capacity.
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TCEQ shuts down permit filing system amid data center dispute - The Texas Tribune
Texas environmental agency suspended its automated permit filing system after watchdog groups raised concerns about data center permits issued during a gubernatorial moratorium.
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Water harvesting firm Aquaria launches pilot for modular onsite water supply system for data center sector
Water harvesting firm Aquaria Technologies launched a modular onsite water supply system pilot for data centers, with first units to ship in Q3 2027.
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Texas continued permitting data centers after Abbott’s pause, report finds
Gov. Greg Abbott ordered a moratorium on data center permits in September 2026, but Texas regulators continued processing and approving permits for data center projects, including for gas power plants serving the facilities.
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Utah County Data Center Meeting Ends in Activist Arrest
The Utah County Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of a new data center ordinance. The ordinance would limit large projects to 500 megawatts and 1 million square feet, cap cooling water consumption at 300,000 gallons per year, and require development agreements. The meeting became contentious with resident protests calling for stricter limits.
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Is Data Center Expansion in Utah a Concern?
Utah is home to 48 operational data centers with at least 7 more on the way. The Stratos project, a 40,000 acre campus proposed by Kevin O'Leary in Box Elder County, would consume up to 7 gigawatts of electricity. State officials and residents have raised concerns about water usage and environmental impact as the project awaits permits.
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‘This Is Assault’: Utah Woman Speaks Out After Cop Body Slammed Her at Data Center Protest - Common Dreams
Utah woman arrested during protest against data center zoning at Utah County Planning Commission meeting on October 20, 2026.
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Woman shoved to ground, arrested after protesting data centers at Utah County Commission meeting - ABC4 Utah
Utah County Planning Commission voted to permit data center use in mining, grazing and industrial zones, prompting a disturbance at the meeting during which law enforcement arrested a protester.
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Video of the Day: Officer throws data center protester to the ground - BYU Daily Universe
The Utah County Commission approved a land use ordinance for data centers on Oct. 20 without taking public comment, leading to a protester being arrested after a confrontation with a sheriff's deputy.
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Utah County protester arrested after confrontation at meeting on data center ordinance - KUTV
The Utah County Planning Commission voted on Oct. 20 to amend the Land Use Ordinance permitting data centers in Mining and Grazing and Industrial zones with an overlay zone and development standards, after which a protester was arrested.
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McElroy and Aquatherm Pipe Support Cooling Systems at Utah Hyperscale Data Center - Construction Owners
Novva's Salt Lake City hyperscale data center uses Aquatherm fusible plastic pipe and McElroy fusion equipment for its cooling system infrastructure.
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The agency that pushed Kevin O'Leary's data center project gets grilled by Utah lawmakers
Utah lawmakers questioned MIDA's role in the Stratos Project data center in Box Elder County and its potential mission creep beyond military infrastructure.
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Lawmakers question head of MIDA over controversial Box Elder County data center proposal
Utah lawmakers questioned MIDA about the Box Elder County data center project it is developing with Kevin O'Leary, citing concerns about transparency and mission creep.
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A woman was arrested while protesting data centers at a Utah County meeting. Here’s how it unfolded.
Utah County Planning Commission voted to endorse new data center ordinance rules that cap annual water use at 300,000 gallons and restrict closed loop cooling drain and refill practices; a protester was arrested during the meeting.
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Questions arise after deputy removes protester from Utah County data center meeting
Utah County Planning Commission approved an ordinance governing data center development on unincorporated land; a protester was removed and arrested during the meeting.
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Residents cited after physical altercation over data center discussion in Utah County meeting
Utah County approved a new ordinance establishing a process for approving or denying data centers on unincorporated land; a protester was arrested during the meeting.
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‘I literally just leave my house’: In this Utah neighborhood, homeowners say a noisy data center campus is disrupting their lives
Residents near Aligned Data Centers campus in West Jordan report chronic noise from backup generators during testing and maintenance, prompting county health department investigation into noise violations.
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Why data centers are increasingly moving into rural Utah communities
Creekstone Energy's planned 10 gigawatt data center in Millard County, Utah, billed as the world's largest campus at over 10,000 acres, faces mixed local reactions and water concerns despite job creation promises.
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Protesters call for moratorium on data centers in Virginia - WAVY.com
Virginia residents protested calling for a moratorium on new data center approvals in response to concerns about data center concentration in the state.
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Amazon abandons Virginia data center , Fortune - UA.NEWS
Amazon abandoned its planned data center in Loudoun County, Virginia and agreed to transfer 25 acres to the county for public facilities and contribute $5 million to an affordable housing fund.
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The Accidental Activists of Data Center Alley - The Nation
Loudoun County imposed a 12 month pause on data center approvals after activist opposition, one victory in broader effort against hyperscale facility buildout in Northern Virginia.
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Virginia Lawmakers to Debate Statewide Pause on Data Center Development - Conduit Street Blog
Virginia lawmakers are considering bills that would establish a three year statewide moratorium on new data center development or pause projects until electrical infrastructure for existing facilities is in place.
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$427M Virginia Science and Technology Campus: Amazon Drops 800,000 Square Foot Data Center Plan - Construction Review
Amazon withdrew its plan for 800,000 square feet of data centers at the Virginia Science and Technology Campus in Loudoun County, agreeing instead to donate 25 acres for arts and sports facilities and contribute $5 million to housing.
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Virginia Beach protest against data centers calls for statewide moratorium - The Virginian-Pilot
More than 30 demonstrators marched in Virginia Beach calling for a statewide data center moratorium as advocacy groups tour the commonwealth, highlighting concerns about resource consumption and environmental impacts.
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Spokane County Commissioners have unanimously voted to extend the pause on data center development in the county through June 1, 2027. - Facebook
Spokane County Commissioners unanimously voted to extend a moratorium on data center development through June 1, 2027.
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WI Rapids Council president calls out disrespect, threats in data center debate - Daily Tribune Media
Wisconsin Rapids council president spoke about disrespect and threats in local data center debate.
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Wisconsin Rapids rejects permit for proposed data center
The Wisconsin Rapids Common Council voted unanimously to reject a conditional use permit for PNK Group's hyperscale data center at the former paper mill site and enacted a one year moratorium on all data center development.
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Crowley changes positions on data centers, backs moratorium - The Daily Reporter
David Crowley announced support for a pause on data center construction while an environmental review ordered by a Port Washington settlement takes place and called for repealing state tax exemptions.
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Snyder outlines plans for 7th term, addresses data center ad - WSAW
Wisconsin Representative Pat Snyder said data centers are inevitable but must follow local regulations, and clarified that he did not give two million dollars to Microsoft's data center project.
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Milwaukee joins list of Wisconsin cities putting a pause on data center projects
Milwaukee passed a one year moratorium on new data center construction while officials draft zoning standards, joining other Wisconsin cities restricting data center development.
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Natrona County and Prometheus Hyperscale consider bypassing state review for new AI complex - WyoFile
Natrona County commissioners are considering using an industrial park exemption to bypass Wyoming's state Industrial Siting Council review for Prometheus Hyperscale's 1,250 megawatt data center near Casper.
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Yellowstone receives historic $105 million gift from company building AI data center - The Independent
Tallgrass, a Colorado company building a $7 billion AI data center south of Cheyenne on more than 1,000 acres, donated $105 million to Yellowstone National Park to establish a conservation fund.
