October 23, 2026
A permanent public ledger of 116 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 23, 2026
National press investigations, local moratoriums, litigation, and community ratepayer pushbackTexas TCEQ disables STEERS amid data center permit dispute (opens in a new tab)
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality temporarily disabled its State of Texas Environmental Electronic Reporting System to conduct manual review of applications and determine which relate to data centers during Governor Abbott's permitting pause.
Gazette-Mail editorial: Sadly, no incentive to fix WV data center rules (opens in a new tab)
Charleston Gazette-Mail editorial criticized data center developers in West Virginia for not adopting reasonable mitigation measures during construction, such as flood prevention planning.
New England's old buildings and old data centers could be upgraded to handle AI computing (opens in a new tab)
Trumbull, Connecticut passed a two year moratorium on new data centers in response to community concerns about existing facility expansion for artificial intelligence computing.
4 reasons North Carolina residents are pushing back on data centers (opens in a new tab)
Forty seven local governments across North Carolina have implemented temporary moratoriums on data center development in response to community concerns about rising utility costs, water depletion and environmental impacts.
Data center policy key part of Wisconsin governor's race (opens in a new tab)
Wisconsin gubernatorial candidates diverged on data center regulation, with Democrat Crowley supporting 100 percent renewable energy requirements and Republican Tiffany opposing such mandates, also debating non disclosure agreements and subsidies.
Data centers become a flashpoint in Ohio's gubernatorial race. Here's what candidates and voters are thinking (opens in a new tab)
In the Ohio gubernatorial race, data center policy emerged as a flashpoint issue with both candidates facing voter pressure over electricity, water, and cost allocation as Ohio ranks among the top states for data center operations.
Texas Suspends Data Center Permits Following Watchdog Report (opens in a new tab)
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality suspended at least 17 permits for data center projects and closed its STEERS online system following investigations by Public Citizen and FracTracker Alliance documenting permit approvals issued during Governor Abbott's pause order.
Anti-data center, energy expansion groups gather pre-commission meeting (opens in a new tab)
Community groups protested a proposed Rowan County data center project and related Duke Energy expansions before a county commission meeting, advocating for a statewide moratorium and utility cost protections.
Umatilla pushes governor on data center permit pause (opens in a new tab)
Governor Tina Kotek issued a statewide pause on data center environmental permits through July 1, 2027. City leaders in Umatilla declared a state of emergency in response, citing anticipated losses of 5 billion dollars in private investment and over 1000 construction jobs.
Portal Texas Used to 'Rubber Stamp' Data Centers Down After 404 Media Reporting (opens in a new tab)
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality shut down its STEERS automated approval system and suspended 17 data center permits following investigations by Public Citizen and FracTracker Alliance showing permits had been approved after Governor Abbott ordered a pause in September.
Hackettstown Town Council Votes 4-0 to Ban Data Centers Across Town (opens in a new tab)
Hackettstown Town Council unanimously approved an ordinance banning data centers from all zoning districts in the municipality.
Concord Planning Board defers decision on micro data center proposal (opens in a new tab)
Concord residents testified against Levitate Inc.'s 13.5 megawatt data center proposal, with the Planning Board deferring decision to November 18 pending applicant response to community concerns regarding power grid impacts and noise.
Clackamas County approves data center moratorium (opens in a new tab)
Clackamas County Board of Commissioners approved a 120 day moratorium on data center development to assess environmental and regulatory impacts. The moratorium took effect immediately following public hearings.
Palm Beach County Commission votes against hiring AI data center consultant (opens in a new tab)
Palm Beach County Commission voted against hiring a 225,000 dollar consulting firm to advise on data center impacts after residents objected, with some commissioners preferring a resident task force. The county previously placed a one year moratorium on new large scale data centers.
Permits related to data centers issued after Abbott's halt directive, advocacy groups found (opens in a new tab)
Advocacy groups documented that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality approved 35 data center permits in September 2026 following Governor Abbott's halt directive. TCEQ later suspended 17 permits after public disclosure of the continued approvals.
T5-funded study says data center will bring in billions; opponents scoff at the numbers (opens in a new tab)
The Lake County Data Center Opposition Coalition filed a lawsuit against T5's Grayslake data center project, claiming it was approved illegally and questioning the developer's economic benefit projections.
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Maryland
A PSC hearing on the large load tariff filing is scheduled for October 23, with additional hearings scheduled between December 8 and December 11, 2026.
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Jennifer Barrera, California Chamber of Commerce President, California Chamber of Commerce
"accused opponents of misleading voters." Said October 23, 2026, California Chamber of Commerce.
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Richard White, Co-leader, Trumbull AI Data Center Watch group
"It could be a very large AI data center from a square footage point of view. It's currently small. We're okay with it remaining small, maybe, with the right regulatory environment. We don't want it to be bigger and we don't want more." Said October 23, 2026, Media interview.
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Peter Hubbard, Commissioner, Georgia Public Service Commission
"regulators must examine whether data centers are paying their appropriate share." Said October 23, 2026, T&D World Live Podcast.
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Gyles Uhlenhopp, Chief Investment Officer, PathOne Data Centers
"Once an ordinance is approved, if those ordinances are parameters we could exist within, if a project could exist within those parameters then we would pursue a project, and that is where it is my job to help raise money for the project once those things exist." Said October 23, 2026, Estherville Planning and Zoning Commission.
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Allyson Eastman, Workforce Development Manager, Google
"Honestly I can't again, we are committed to working with the city of Palo and we are still working with Linn County on some aspects there are some other folks on the team that can answer the specifics." Said October 23, 2026, Linn County resident meeting.
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Allyson Eastman, Workforce Development Manager, Google
"These are really complex deals that take a lot of coordination with a lot of different organizations. We have waited until almost groundbreaking in the past. We just released a blog post talking about how we are changing our approach to data center development in direct response to what we are hearing from our communities." Said October 23, 2026, Linn County resident meeting.
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Kiran Udayakumar, Project Representative, Google
"One of the key things is, we will not use groundwater from any bedrock aquifer such as the Silurian or the Jordan for any cooling operation." Said October 23, 2026, Community open house, Palo.
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Allyson Eastman, Community Development Manager, Google
"We do community investments, which definitely means investments in the nonprofits, the schools, etcetera. But more than that, we look to create long term partnerships." Said October 23, 2026, Community open house, Palo.
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Christopher Ollson, Independent Consultant, Independent Consultant (working with Google)
"The city of Palo has an ordinance. They put a bunch of guardrails around what you can do and what the Google folks can't do. They got a very restrictive, very good, sound ordinance in order to make sure that the people living around the facility, those closest and then you folks here, if you're in Palo and certainly kind of beyond that, you're not going to have intrusive noise." Said October 23, 2026, Community meeting, Palo.
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Allyson Eastman, Economic and Community Development Manager, Google
"I think there are things that can change. And then there are things that we will learn about and we will continue to change and mitigate as the construction and the development and the operation just continue to go on." Said October 23, 2026, Community meeting, Palo.
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Eric Murray, Google representative, Google
"This is going to be a journey that we do together. We've pledged to work with your leadership and communities, and we're going to be standing by to address your concerns because we are going to be your neighbor." Said October 23, 2026, Town hall meeting.
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Gyles Uhlenhopp, Chief Investment Officer, PathOne Data Centers
"PathOne Data Centers has specifically designed a solution for rural America and we specifically build edge data centers that are designed to look into overlooked communities and design something that can be net positive." Said October 23, 2026, Estherville Planning and Zoning Commission.
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David Pickering, Senior Vice President of Research, Industrial Info Resources
"It is not a pretty picture right now. I think it will become profitable once things settle down a bit and more legislation is put in place to regulate how we handle AI. The big players will no doubt find a way to make it profitable." Said October 23, 2026, Media commentary.
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Deborah Lischwe, co-chair, Freeport Environmental Study Group
"We know that data centers are popping up all over the place, sometimes without public scrutiny and attention." Said October 23, 2026, Freeport Public Library.
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David Daneshforooz, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, TerraWatt
"We know every community is unique. Our proposal for Alton puts the mill site back to work for the economy of the next century. We'd pay our own way with no local tax incentives, generate millions of dollars a year in new tax revenue for the city and its schools, and be the quietest neighbor Alton ha." Said October 23, 2026, Project announcement.
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Bob Landolfi, Coalition member, Lake County Data Center Opposition Coalition
"The village and T5 are barreling ahead and making unsubstantiated claims about jobs and revenue while omitting the costs. And at the end of the day, we can't buy quiet or clean air and water." Said October 23, 2026, Statement to media.
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Jizelle Torres, Climate and Energy program assistant, Prairie Rivers Network
"We're seeing that these larger data centers can drink up to five million gallons a day." Said October 23, 2026, Freeport Public Library.
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Rich Germinder, Senior policy adviser, Missouri Public Service Commission
"Large load customers and data centers have always kind of been operating in Missouri for several decades. But the scale of the load growth that we're seeing really dictated, We need to have a different approach." Said October 23, 2026, news interview.
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Mike Kehoe, Governor, State of Missouri
"We're at a pivotal moment with our infrastructure. It's aging while our communities and industries are demanding more from it." Said October 23, 2026, Power MO summit.
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Ron Kitchens, Chief Executive Officer, Greater St. Louis Inc.
"This is the railroad coming and deciding to come through some communities, and other communities that they don't go through cease to exist. This is Route 66 when the interstates came in and those communities and those businesses died because they weren't on the trade routes. Hyperscale data centers are the same exact opportunity for communities." Said October 23, 2026, Power MO summit.
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James O'Mara, Economic Development Manager, Ameren Missouri
"This large-load tariff enabled us to, before we connect these customers, they have to sign these contracts. Because we understand the costs that could be required to serve them. They have to pay that cost." Said October 23, 2026, news interview.
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Mona Singh, Policy advocate, <UNKNOWN>
"A single hyperscale data center can consume resources needed for 100,000 households. Rising cost of water and electricity are the most significant concerns voters have expressed." Said October 23, 2026, Cardinal & Pine article.
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Nicole Eastman, Yadkin Riverkeeper, Yadkin Riverkeepers
"Hyperscale data centers and fossil fuel infrastructure require large quantities of water to cool the facilities, putting a strain on aquatic life and our drinking water sources. This year's drought and low water levels highlight the vulnerability of water quantity." Said October 23, 2026, Rowan County commission meeting.
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Ryan Howard, CEO, Levitate Inc.
"cooling fans would emit a humming sound at the volume of a conversation." Said October 23, 2026, Concord Planning Board public hearing.
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Suzanne Brand, Community resident, Concord resident
"We don't want data centers. We want to inherit a world that isn't too damaged to fix, and that starts here." Said October 23, 2026, Concord Planning Board public hearing.
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Brent Todd, Councillor and city council representative to planning board, Concord Planning Board
"Just how loud is this thing?" Said October 23, 2026, Concord Planning Board meeting.
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Vivek Ramaswamy, Gubernatorial Candidate, Republican Party of Ohio
"I am against you and the people of this state having to pay for them. If you are going to use electricity from the electric grid, you should have to pay for it and bring your own energy." Said October 23, 2026, Campaign statement.
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David Pepper, Running Mate to Amy Acton, Ohio Democratic Party
"Nobody should have to pay a dollar more on anything because the data centers are moving in. That should be an absolute baseline." Said October 23, 2026, Campaign statement.
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Paul Savas, Commissioner, Clackamas County Board of Commissioners
"My concern has been with utility costs and water. Clackamas County has a reasonable footprint in farming and nurseries which are dependent on water. There are some responsible concerns to make sure we have the appropriate guardrails in place that make sure our industries that are here today are." Said October 23, 2026, Clackamas County Board of Commissioners meeting.
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Martha Schrader, Commissioner, Clackamas County Board of Commissioners
"We have to be vigilant as we prepare for the future. We are definitely flying into the great unknown, we don't know where these centers could be located or how. The technology is advancing so quickly that we are not keeping up with any kind of policy sidebars." Said October 23, 2026, Clackamas County Board of Commissioners meeting.
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David Stockdale, City Manager, City of Umatilla
"The thing that you just can't do, though, is move the goalposts mid game. If we're going to go through this land use process and in the end, this is all a land use process. You can't change the rules in the middle of it." Said October 23, 2026, Nonstop Local News interview.
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Sam Law, Researcher, FracTracker Alliance
"STEERS is a portal that TCEQ uses to rubber stamp construction approvals. It seems like they forgot about it and the portal has been quietly issuing approvals since the governor's order for a pause, including for OpenAI and Amazon this Monday and Tuesday." Said October 23, 2026, 404 Media interview.
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Kathryn Guerra, TCEQ Watchdog Campaign Director, Public Citizen
"If the TCEQ and the governor's office want to play word games, you know, that's fine. Texans are tired of games when it comes to data centers. And what they need are real protections and real laws in place." Said October 23, 2026, ABC13 Houston interview.
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Tom Tiffany, Gubernatorial Candidate, Republican Party of Wisconsin
"You take just the Mount Pleasant and Port Washington sites, it would take 100,000 acres of solar panels in order to power them. That's crazy to do that. That's going to raise our electricity rates but it's also ultimately going to raise our food costs because it's going to sideline some of our beautiful farmland here in Wisconsin." Said October 23, 2026, Gubernatorial debate.
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David Crowley, Gubernatorial Candidate, Democratic Party of Wisconsin
"Congressman Tom Tiffany, the last thing we need to do in terms of energy is to burn more coal, which is something you support." Said October 23, 2026, Gubernatorial debate.
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Why One Alabama City Favors Regulation Over Data Center Ban
Irondale, Alabama's mayor rejected a temporary moratorium on data center development, instead proposing zoning regulations to address industry concerns. The city's planning and zoning commission voted to recommend a new ordinance defining data center types and requiring cooling systems and noise controls.
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A Billion-Dollar Data-Center Tax Break Along the Civil Rights Trail - Word In Black
Lowndes County Commission voted to grant Project Red Clay, an 800 acre data center, a 20 year tax abatement worth 1.1 billion dollars despite opposition from Black residents.
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Alabama’s New Data Center Rules Still Leave Customers in the Dark, Critics Say - Inside Climate News
Alabama Public Service Commission approved new rules requiring unredacted data center power contracts be filed with state agencies and Attorney General's office for 90 day public interest review before limited public disclosure.
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7 Things: Tuberville’s first-day agenda, ends data-center tax breaks, judge hits soft-on-crime opponent, and more... - Yellowhammer News
Governor elect Tommy Tuberville pledged to end state tax breaks for data centers, requiring them to pay full property taxes, fund infrastructure, and replace capacity they use, while protecting families and small businesses from cost increases.
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Data Centers in Arizona: 184 Sites, a 19 GW APS Power Queue and a Paused Tax Break - Tricity Local News
Arizona imposed a three year pause on data center tax incentive applications from July 2026 through June 2029, while APS reports 19 GW uncommitted queue against 8.7 GW peak demand.
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California Proposition 45 Campaign Disputes Claims of Data Center Loopholes
Supporters of California's Proposition 45 released a memorandum from the Office of Legislative Counsel concluding the measure excludes data centers from its environmental permitting benefits. Opponents disputed the legal opinion, arguing the measure contains loopholes that could benefit data center approvals.
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Aurora City Council to vote on indefinite data center moratorium - Colorado Politics
Aurora City Council scheduled a vote on an indefinite data center moratorium for October 26, 2026.
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Phil Weiser Colorado Governor Plans: Housing, Medicaid, Data Centers - Hoodline
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, running for governor, said his first legislative priority would be a data center bill with guardrails requiring communities have a voice, protecting consumers from energy costs, and ensuring consistency with clean energy and water commitments.
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Supersonic aircraft maker Boom will build turbines to power data centers at new factory in Centennial - The Colorado Sun
Boom Supersonic announced a new 200,000 square foot manufacturing plant near Centennial Airport to build Superpower natural gas turbines for data centers, hiring 500 people and representing a $150 million investment with production of 50 turbines annually by early 2027.
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Bipartisan calls grow for temporary statewide ban on new data centers in Connecticut - NBC Connecticut
Connecticut lawmakers with bipartisan support called for a temporary statewide moratorium on new data centers, as several municipalities including East Lyme, Groton, New Haven, West Haven, Trumbull and Morris have already banned or paused data center development.
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New England’s old buildings and old data centers could be upgraded to handle AI computing
Trumbull, Connecticut residents oppose plans to upgrade the town's existing data center, which has operated since the 1960s, to handle AI computing workloads, raising concerns about expansion despite assurances from 365 Data Centers and Aphorio Carter about limited impacts.
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New England's old buildings and old data centers could be upgraded to handle AI computing
Connecticut Public examines retrofitting of aging data centers in New England to handle artificial intelligence computing, including an upgrade of a Trumbull, Connecticut facility, amid local concerns about expansion.
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Palm Beach County Commission votes against hiring AI data center consultant
Palm Beach County Commission rejected a 225,000 dollar consulting firm proposal to advise on data center impacts including noise, electricity use, and water concerns after resident objections. Some commissioners prefer a resident task force instead.
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There is a thread through data centers, your power bill and this election - Georgia Public Broadcasting
Georgia Public Service Commission members, who regulate how much data center industry costs are passed to electricity customers, became election issues in 2026 with ties between data centers, power bills and commission races.
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T&D World Live Podcast: Georgia Commissioner Peter Hubbard on Data Centers, Electricity Costs and The State's Energy Future
Georgia Public Service Commission Commissioner Peter Hubbard discussed data center growth's impact on electricity costs and reliability, advocating for stronger utility oversight and renewable energy expansion to mitigate ratepayer burden from infrastructure expansion.
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City of Grimes Gets Ahead Of Prospective Data Center Development - newsradio 1040 who
Grimes, Iowa adopted regulations requiring closed loop cooling, limiting water use to warehouse levels, banning tax incentives, restricting pollution, and mandating developer transparency, instead of imposing a moratorium.
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Google gives insight into the Palo data center project and plans to break ground
Google announced plans to break ground in early 2027 on a six building data center near Palo, Iowa, with operations targeted within two years. The project would use 10 to 14 million gallons of water daily and complete construction by 2031.
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Public hearing set for data center-related zoning ordinance proposal
The Fort Madison City Council scheduled a public hearing for November 2 to address proposed amendments to its zoning code adding a High Infrastructure Impact Developments chapter. The proposal addresses community concerns about future data center projects following a Lee County moratorium passed in June.
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Google addresses power and noise questions at Palo data center open house
Google held a community meeting in Palo to address concerns about its proposed data center, stating that the project will not increase local electric bills and that a restarted Duane Arnold nuclear plant will serve as an anchor power supply. The company addressed noise concerns by pointing to Palo's restrictive noise ordinance.
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Tech giant unveils more plans for its proposed Palo data center
Google announced that its proposed data center near Palo would generate 170 million dollars in tax revenue over 20 years and seek annexation of 650 acres. The company said it analyzed over 100 years of Cedar River data to confirm sufficient water capacity and will not use bedrock aquifer water for cooling.
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Google Answers Residents' Questions About Proposed Palo Data Center
Google hosted a public meeting to discuss its proposed data center near Palo in Linn County, detailing a two year timeline to operation, water usage of 10 to 14 million gallons daily, property tax obligations, and plans to cover all utility infrastructure upgrade costs.
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Discussion surrounding a small-scale data center continues in Estherville, Iowa
PathOne Data Centers presented plans for a 25 megawatt facility in Estherville to the city's Planning and Zoning Commission. The Emmet County Board of Supervisors approved a one year moratorium on new data center projects in unincorporated areas in August.
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Data centers now largest financial bet in U.S. history
Data center investment totaling 10 trillion dollars represents the largest economic bet in United States history, surpassing railroad expansion and creating nearly 4 percent of gross domestic product growth, according to a Columbia Business School analysis.
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Google pitches Palo on data center at lengthy town hall
Google presented its Project Meridian data center campus proposal to Palo, Iowa residents during a three hour town hall, describing a 550 acre site powered by the Duane Arnold Energy Center with water cooled using a closed loop evaporative system.
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Freeport meeting highlights data center impacts
Environmental and community groups hosted a public meeting in Freeport to discuss how data centers affect water supplies, electricity costs and air quality as Illinois expands its data center footprint. Advocates called for state lawmakers to pass the proposed POWER Act during the November veto session.
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T5-funded study says data center will bring in billions; opponents scoff at the numbers
T5 commissioned a study projecting its Grayslake data center will generate nearly 10 billion dollars in total economic output by 2031, while opponents from the Lake County Data Center Opposition Coalition dispute the figures and assert the project was approved illegally.
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Gigawatt-scale data center proposed for steel mill in Illinois
TerraWatt proposes a gigawatt scale data center on a 381 acre former steel mill site in Alton, Illinois, to be developed in 200MW blocks with expected full operation by 2031.
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Indiana Counties Increase Restrictions On Data Centers - InkFreeNews.com
Indiana now has 50 counties with data center restrictions: 33 with moratoriums, 14 with regulatory ordinances, and 3 with bans, with Marshall County making its ban permanent.
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Where do Kansas candidates stand on data centers and term limits? KCUR answers more election Qs - KCUR
Kansas gubernatorial candidates Cindy Holscher and Ty Masterson differ on data center policy; Holscher now supports a moratorium after hearing constituent concerns about water depletion and utility costs, while Masterson defends 2025 tax incentive law.
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From tariffs to data centers, Michigan's big economic stories - Marketplace.org
Michigan journalists report that data centers are becoming a political flashpoint in the state, with Van Buren Township approving a Google data center drawing a gigawatt of electricity while residents opposed it, and gubernatorial and Senate candidates staking out positions on moratoriums.
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Amazon considering a second data center campus in Montgomery County
Amazon is exploring development of 15 additional data center buildings on 890 acres in Montgomery County, Missouri, which has prompted concerns regarding community impact.
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Missouri leaders tout state's data center consumer protections
Missouri state regulators and utility officials highlighted Senate Bill 4, signed into law in April 2025, which establishes consumer protections for ratepayers affected by large scale data centers. The legislation requires large load customers using 75 megawatts or more monthly to sign 12 year contracts, cover full infrastructure costs, and meet other conditions to prevent cost shifting to residential customers.
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Greater St. Louis Inc. CEO warns cities not to turn down data centers
Missouri leaders gathered at a Power MO summit to discuss data center infrastructure and economic impacts, with state officials celebrating multiple hyperscale projects and warning communities about competitive risks of rejecting such development.
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Doc expects data center to lead to costly medical problems - Montana Free Press
A Billings pulmonologist presented projections to Yellowstone County commissioners that the proposed Quantica Big Sky Digital Infrastructure data center will conservatively result in 19 to 33 million dollars in new health costs and 1.2 to 2.2 deaths annually.
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Public comment extended for data center water supply near Broadview
Montana Department of Environmental Quality extended public comment through November 6 on a proposed well for the Quantica Big Sky Campus data center near Broadview, which will provide up to 150,000 gallons per day during construction and 20,000 gallons per day after construction.
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County taking questions, comments on data center study - Montana Free Press
Missoula County released a 32 page study assessing data center impacts and recommending comprehensive zoning; county commissioners will decide next steps following public comment in late October and November.
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Anti-data center, energy expansion groups gather pre-commission meeting
Community groups including Down Home North Carolina and Yadkin Riverkeepers protested before a Rowan County commission meeting, calling for a two year statewide moratorium on data center development and restrictions on Duke Energy cost pass through to customers.
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4 reasons North Carolina residents are pushing back on data centers
North Carolina residents oppose data center development citing rising energy and water costs, noise and light pollution, environmental harm and lack of transparency, with 47 local governments enacting moratoriums and Duke Energy proposing an 11.6 percent rate increase.
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Deer season changes and data center rules take shape - North Dakota Monitor
North Dakota lawmakers began discussing possible legislation to address data center development focusing on electricity costs, water use, and facility end of life.
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WATCH/LISTEN: Ayotte and Warmington spar over taxes, data centers and affordability - New Hampshire Public Radio
Two New Hampshire gubernatorial candidates debated data center policy, with both expressing support for a statewide moratorium and citing energy and environmental concerns.
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Concord Planning Board defers decision on micro data center proposal
Concord's Planning Board continued its public hearing on Levitate Inc.'s 13.5 megawatt data center proposal to November 18, requesting additional information on grid impacts and noise levels before rendering a decision.
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Hackettstown Town Council Votes 4-0 to Ban Data Centers Across Town
Hackettstown Town Council unanimously approved an ordinance banning data centers in all zoning districts as a preemptive measure to prevent future proposals.
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Lawrence Planning Board Seeks More Research Before Weighing in on Data Center Ban - MercerMe
Lawrence Township Planning Board delayed action on a proposed townwide data center ban on October 19, deferring decision while seeking more research and considering targeted regulations rather than outright prohibition.
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Vineland residents plan to sue data center over unpermitted natural gas engines
Residents of Vineland, New Jersey, filed a notice of intent to sue DataOne's 300 megawatt data center for allegedly violating the federal Clean Air Act by operating natural gas generators without a permit, a month after New Jersey regulators fined the company over 1 million dollars.
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Senate passes Greenstein, Stack bill to increase transparency in development of data centers - ROI-NJ
New Jersey Senate passed a bill prohibiting non disclosure agreements that conceal data center development plans from public review.
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Environmental Group Threatens Clean Air Act Suit Over Vineland Data Center Generators - Community News
Sustain SJ, represented by Earthjustice, threatens a Clean Air Act lawsuit against DataOne Vineland over 62 gas generators operating without federal permits; the state fined DataOne $1.07 million in September.
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Rutgers poll: Most NJ residents oppose local data centers - NJBIZ
A Rutgers Eagleton Poll of 1,004 adults conducted in late September found that 72% of New Jersey residents oppose data center construction in their hometowns.
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Oracle awards nearly $1 billion in contracts to New Mexico businesses for data center project - KVIA
Oracle awarded $994 million in contracts to 30 New Mexico firms for Project Jupiter, creating 1,230 jobs including 630 in Doña Ana County.
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NM counties pass data center moratoriums. What next? - Albuquerque Journal
Sierra, Santa Fe, Socorro and Grant counties have enacted data center moratoriums and are developing regulations and study processes.
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Grant County commissioners approve data center moratorium
Grant County commissioners approved a one year moratorium on data center development.
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Data centers become a flashpoint in Ohio's gubernatorial race. Here's what candidates and voters are thinking
In Ohio's close gubernatorial race, Democrat Amy Acton and Republican Vivek Ramaswamy face voter pressure over data center policies, including who should pay for infrastructure costs and electricity usage.
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Why anger about data centers and energy prices may not swing votes
Ohio electricity costs have risen 50 percent in six years amid data center expansion; Democratic candidates made it central to campaigns but polling shows only 3 percent of likely voters prioritize data centers and artificial intelligence in determining their congressional votes.
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5 Things To Know: Piedmont data center, governor candidates weigh in on education
The Piedmont City Council voted four to one to advance a proposed data center development and approved an amended master design plan, requiring the project to proceed through rezoning hearings.
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Clackamas County approves data center moratorium
Following public hearings and testimony, the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners approved a 120 day moratorium on data center development to allow staff time to assess environmental impacts and develop regulatory standards.
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Umatilla pushes governor on data center permit pause
City leaders in Umatilla, Oregon called for Governor Tina Kotek to lift a statewide pause on data center environmental permits, arguing the regulatory freeze could delay or cancel major local development projects.
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Oregon city declares state of emergency over lost data center revenue amid state-wide ban - Data Center Dynamics
The city of Umatilla declared a state of emergency over anticipated lost tax revenues from data centers after Governor Kotek's de facto moratorium on new data center permits through July 2027.
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PPL Electric Utilities responds to Pennsylvania governor's petition on large-load customer cost protections
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro filed a petition to join a Public Utility Commission proceeding focused on rate protections for large energy users, particularly data centers. PPL Electric Utilities responded by supporting the governor's goal of preventing data center costs from shifting to other utility customers.
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Data centers ‘front and center’ in key PA congressional races - Spotlight PA
Data center opposition emerged as a bipartisan electoral issue across four tight Pennsylvania congressional races in 2026, with voters expressing strong concern over impacts to energy costs, water, and rural character.
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Trump Says Big Data Centers Must Make Their Own Electricity. What That Means for Pennsylvania Power Bills - Northeast Times
President Trump posted on Truth Social that large new data centers should generate their own electricity and pay nearby residents and communities a dividend; no executive order has yet been issued.
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Data Centers Are ‘Front and Center’ in Pennsylvania’s Competitive Congressional Elections - Inside Climate News
Bipartisan opposition to data centers in Pennsylvania has become a campaign issue in four competitive congressional races, with voters across the political spectrum expressing concern about property values, utility bills, water and power supply impacts.
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Developer eyes data center on former quarry in West Conshohocken while Upper Merion fight continues
Developer Brian O'Neill submitted a conditional use application to West Conshohocken Borough for a proposed three story data center on a 60 acre former quarry site while continuing legal appeals of Upper Merion Township supervisors' rejection of his broader data center campus plan.
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SK Council mulling ban on data centers - IndependentRI.com
South Kingstown Town Council Vice President proposed a townwide data center ban, approved by the Planning Board and heading back to the Council for a public hearing before an expected vote.
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South Carolina lawmakers prepare data center regulations - WRDW
South Carolina lawmakers are preparing proposals to regulate data centers ahead of the January legislative session.
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State standards: Reps. McCravy and Gibson propose statewide rules for data center development - Index-Journal
South Carolina representatives propose statewide legislation establishing minimum standards for data center development, including water, power, noise, and proximity requirements.
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Spartanburg County Council approves preliminary NorthMark data center development agreement - Post and Courier
Spartanburg County Council approved a preliminary development agreement for NorthMark data center on October 22, subject to performance standards around light, noise and landscaping, with annual reporting requirements on water, employment and charitable contributions.
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Montgomery Co. passes new data center zoning rules, but some residents want stricter limits - News Channel 5 Nashville
Montgomery County Commission passed new data center zoning rules placing restrictions on size and noise, but residents called for a moratorium or outright ban, citing concerns about long term impacts.
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American Fusion Prepares Proposals for at Least Four Additional Texas Data Center Projects - energynews.pro
American Fusion says it is preparing proposals for at least four data center projects in Texas, offering Texatron fusion power generation under a Power as a Service model.
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What Is Applied Digital (APLD) Really Building With Its 50 MW Texas AI Site? - Yahoo Finance
Applied Digital and Soluna agreed to a joint venture developing a 50 megawatt wind powered AI and HPC data center in Texas, with closing expected by end of 2026.
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Paxton says a Brazos County data center got a letter demanding water-use reporting - KBTX News 3
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said his office sent 156 letters to data center developments statewide demanding water use reporting, including one to Brazos County, but the identified project there denies receiving it.
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The Hidden Environmental Cost of Texas’s Data Center Boom - GreaterGood
Houston Advanced Research Center study models how data center power supply choices affect Texas air quality, finding on site combustion could increase volatile organic compound emissions 2 to 165 times higher than grid supply with renewables.
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Tarrant County Data Center Rules Debate, Texas Legislature 2027 - Hoodline
Fort Worth and Tarrant County officials disagreed over whether local governments should regulate data centers now or wait for the 2027 Texas Legislature to act, as the Circle T data center project in Westlake drew criticism from nearby residents.
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Permits related to data centers issued after Abbott's halt directive, advocacy groups found
Advocacy groups Public Citizen and FracTracker Alliance documented that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality approved 35 data center permits after Governor Greg Abbott's September 2026 moratorium directive. TCEQ later suspended 17 of the authorizations following the groups' disclosures.
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Texas TCEQ disables STEERS amid data center permit dispute
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality disabled its STEERS environmental reporting system to enable manual review of permit applications for data center connections following Governor Abbott's statewide pause.
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Texas Suspends Data Center Permits Following Watchdog Report
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality suspended at least 17 data center permits and disabled its STEERS online system for manual review after watchdog organizations documented continued permit approvals during Governor Abbott's directive.
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What data center laws do Tarrant officials, residents want to see from Texas Legislature?
Tarrant County officials and advocates discussed local versus state data center regulation at the Fort Worth Report 2026 Growth Summit, with debate over timing and scope of permitting controls.
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Portal Texas Used to 'Rubber Stamp' Data Centers Down After 404 Media Reporting
Texas shut down its STEERS environmental permit portal and suspended 17 data center construction permits after watchdog groups reported the state had continued issuing approvals despite Governor Abbott's September pause order.
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Fed up with data centers and Big Tech, rural Republican crossover could decide Democrats’ fate in Texas - The Texas Tribune
Rural Texas Republicans are defecting over data centers and development, with some planning to vote Democratic for the first time as anger over projects near their communities reshapes the state's political landscape.
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Loudoun County adds new requirements for data center applications - WJLA
Loudoun County adopted new application requirements for data centers and other high energy use facilities, effective October 23, 2026 under a new Virginia law, requiring developers to disclose electricity use, proximity to homes and schools, and environmental impacts.
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Data center policy key part of Wisconsin governor's race
In the Wisconsin gubernatorial race, Democrat David Crowley advocates for 100 percent renewable energy to power data centers while Republican Tom Tiffany argues this would require excessive farmland conversion and electricity rate increases.
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Gazette-Mail editorial: Sadly, no incentive to fix WV data center rules
A Charleston Gazette-Mail editorial criticized West Virginia data center developers for failing to take reasonable precautions regarding construction impacts such as flooding, following a Department of Environmental Protection workshop on permits for the Monarch Cloud Campus.
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