October 27, 2026
A permanent public ledger of 164 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 27, 2026
National press investigations, local moratoriums, litigation, and community ratepayer pushbackCharlotte Extends Data Center Moratorium For 11 More Months (opens in a new tab)
Charlotte City Council unanimously approved an 11 month extension to its data center moratorium on October 27, extending the pause to October 18, 2027, to allow time for policy development around water usage, electricity impacts, and community protection.
Protesters shut down Hermantown data center vote (opens in a new tab)
Hermantown City Council postponed votes on final local approval for a proposed Google data center on October 27, 2026 after approximately two hours of sustained protest with hundreds in attendance. Opponents cited environmental and community concerns while supporters highlighted potential construction jobs.
North Dakota ag commissioner candidates differ on data center development (opens in a new tab)
North Dakota agriculture commissioner candidates Doug Goehring and Vern Thompson diverge on regulatory approaches to data center development. Both support local control and property owner rights, but differ on whether state agencies should provide guidance to townships and the appropriate pace of development.
These Mahoning Valley voters are at odds over limits on Ohio's data center development (opens in a new tab)
Ohio voters in the Mahoning Valley region discussed limitations on data center development as a midterm election issue on October 27, 2026. Concerns included electricity consumption, water usage, and state tax incentives costing Ohio nearly 1.6 billion dollars.
Sheridan residents weigh risks, regulations surrounding AI data centers (opens in a new tab)
Wyoming Outdoor Council hosted a community listening session in Sheridan County where approximately 30 residents expressed concerns about hyperscale data center impacts. Attendees identified water and wildlife impacts as priority concerns and discussed need for proactive community planning and regulations.
Advocates Raise Concerns Over Nevada Data Center Expansion, Cite Water and Energy Use (opens in a new tab)
Nevada advocates organized to oppose continued data center expansion, citing water depletion, energy demands, and dependence on fossil fuels. Concerns focused on water use around Monarch Data Center and proposed methane gas plants.
Ohioans will decide on most data center ballot issues in America (opens in a new tab)
Ohio voters will decide on 21 local data center ballot issues in November including proposed bans and zoning restrictions across 18 communities and 16 counties. A statewide grassroots movement is collecting signatures for a constitutional amendment to ban data centers larger than 25 megawatts.
Cherokee County to hold data center townhall meeting as moratorium continues (opens in a new tab)
Cherokee County officials are holding a townhall meeting on November 18 to gather resident input on data center policy while an active moratorium passed by the commission in July continues to block new data center development in the county.
OpenAI data center would fill 72 acres of wetlands (opens in a new tab)
Environmental advocates are opposing OpenAI's proposal to fill 72 acres of forested wetlands for its Effingham County data center, citing impacts on wildlife habitat, water quality, and downstream flooding risks along Dasher and Sweigoffer creeks.
Here's why data center campaign contributions to Nevada politics are rising (opens in a new tab)
Nevada data center companies increased campaign contributions ahead of a legislative session expected to bring heightened scrutiny. Analysis shows companies linked to Nevada data centers gave $17 million over two decades, with recent quarterly campaign filings reaching $100,000 and predominantly backing Democratic candidates.
McDonald Ohio Data Center Debate Divides Mahoning Valley (opens in a new tab)
McDonald Village Council voted 5-0 to establish a one year moratorium on data center applications while reviewing zoning and project details. The action pauses consideration of a proposed $1 billion data center on the former U.S. Steel property.
Missoula County releases draft study on data center impacts (opens in a new tab)
Missoula County released a draft study on October 27, 2026 supporting its July 2026 emergency one year moratorium on new or expanded data centers. The study found data centers can have impacts on health, safety and environment, and recommends extended moratorium and new zoning rules despite limits under Montana's Right to Compute Act.
Texas voter warns of power grid strain from secretive data center boom (opens in a new tab)
Texas voter Mason McCallister warned of grid strain from data center expansion and called for developer and government transparency on deployments.
Aurora lawmakers reject data center moratorium amid resident calls of 'shame' (opens in a new tab)
Aurora residents opposing the planned Trident data center staged a public campaign calling for a moratorium, with more than 50 speakers urging council approval but falling one vote short of reconsideration.
Florida county receives data center application before moratorium (opens in a new tab)
Martin County voted to impose a one year moratorium on new data center applications to review potential impacts, after receiving a 130 megawatt data center application that would be exempt from the moratorium.
Pa. candidates weigh in on data centers. See who answered (opens in a new tab)
Pennsylvania election coverage documents significant voter opposition to data centers, with 74 percent of state voters opposing AI data center development in their communities according to recent polling, as House candidates prepare for November 3 elections.
Hearing officer rejects bid to toss revised Project Jupiter air permit (opens in a new tab)
A hearing officer rejected a motion by New Energy Economy to dismiss the revised air quality permit for Project Jupiter. The public hearing on the 2.4 gigawatt electrochemical fuel cell power plant is scheduled for December 7.
'Sky is the limit': Nonprofit educates residents on how to negotiate a data center deal (opens in a new tab)
Wyoming Outdoor Council presented to Campbell County residents about data center regulation and Community Benefits Agreements. Residents expressed little to no benefit from data center development and were educated on leverage and demands communities can negotiate with developers.
Dubuque County targets traffic, emergency strain as data center debate looms over election (opens in a new tab)
Dubuque County supervisors are examining infrastructure and emergency service impacts during a one year moratorium on large scale facilities, ending July 2027, with local officials debating traffic and resource constraints.
Public hearing input used in massive data center state waters application decision (opens in a new tab)
Community members expressed concerns about noise, water pollution, and environmental impacts during a public hearing on the Monarch data center's state waters permit application in Mason County, West Virginia.
Spanish Fork City Ordinance No. 16-2026 Data Center Referendum Petition Information (opens in a new tab)
Spanish Fork residents initiated a referendum petition to repeal City Ordinance No. 16-2026, which permits data centers and onsite power generation. The city published official information on the referendum and signature removal process.
Poll: 3 in 4 likely voters in Texas expect a new data center to raise their power bill (opens in a new tab)
A WFAA poll showed 75 percent of likely Texas voters expect new data centers to increase their electricity bills.
Madisonville residents upset at city's handling of proposed data center rules (opens in a new tab)
Residents of Madisonville opposed the city's expedited process for adopting data center regulations, citing insufficient public comment periods and lack of time for community deliberation on the ordinance.
Power down: Students walk out statewide, march on Heinrich's office to demand leaders 'pull the plug' on AI data centers (opens in a new tab)
Students in New Mexico conducted statewide classroom walkouts and marched on federal and state offices to protest rapid AI data center deployment, citing concerns about water, power and land depletion plus environmental regulatory rollbacks.
Students, tribal leaders protest Heinrich's permitting bill, saying it could speed data centers and fossil fuels (opens in a new tab)
Hundreds of students and tribal leaders protested U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich's energy permitting bill in Albuquerque and Santa Fe on October 27, arguing it would expedite data center and fossil fuel development.
Candidates work to ease concerns as data centers become hot-button issue for Ohioans (opens in a new tab)
Data center development has become a prominent electoral issue in Ohio's 2026 midterm races, with voter concerns about electricity consumption, water usage, and pollution driving grassroots opposition and candidate positioning on regulation and accountability.
Data centers are a hot-button issue for Ohioans as midterms near (opens in a new tab)
Ohio data centers have become a central electoral issue in the midterm elections, with both Democratic and Republican candidates fielding voter concerns about environmental impact and power demands. Community groups like Conserve Ohio are collecting signatures for ballot initiatives to ban large scale data centers in 10 communities, with plans for a statewide ballot measure in 2027.
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Aurora
Aurora City Council voted 6 to 5 against suspending council rules to reconsider an indefinite moratorium on new data center applications, falling short of the seven votes required even after Mayor Mike Coffman reversed his August position and supported a pause.
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Georgetown
Georgetown City Council voted unanimously to extend moratorium through June 30, 2027.
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Sandy Bahr, Director, Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter
"We need to be moving away from fossil fuels as quickly as possible, and that includes coal, oil and gas." Said October 27, 2026, Expert interview.
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Clark Miller, Professor and Energy Expert, Arizona State University
"It can provide the voltage and stability control and the 24/7, 365 power that coal did, but less expensively." Said October 27, 2026, Expert interview.
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Nick Myers, Chair, Arizona Corporation Commission
"Reliability, affordability and then way down here is clean energy." Said October 27, 2026, Expert interview.
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Raj Vohra, Executive Vice President, Thor Equities
"We're really hoping to do it in a way that will add net benefits to the community through new tax dollars. We believe the community and the schools in the area can greatly benefit from [the revenue]." Said October 27, 2026, Kingston town hall meeting.
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Jeff Beauvais, South Coast Advocate, One Hundred Miles
"If you plop this much concrete on top of the wetlands that are part of that system, you're going to reduce the amount of permeable land there that could slow the speed of stormwater, and you're probably going to exacerbate the speed with which rainwater falls into that system and worsens flooding." Said October 27, 2026, Comment on permit application.
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Paul Muir, Resident, Kingston community
"I love farming, agriculture, conservation work, and the more development that comes to Kingston and Bartow County, the more the natural resources get pushed away. You have economics to make money, and the forest usually loses. So my concern is the forest, my farm." Said October 27, 2026, Kingston town hall meeting.
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Jeff Beauvais, South Coast Advocate, One Hundred Miles
"That is a significant increase in the amount of wetlands that are being filled." Said October 27, 2026, Comment on permit application.
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Bob Trezise, President and CEO, Lansing Economic Area Partnership
"We need to approach this in a new way, because our region needs to be able to compete and approve significant projects, new investment, especially in the tech space, or our community faces an aging population, declining youth, and reduced tax base for municipal budgets that provide the quality of life we all desire and need for a prosperous future." Said October 27, 2026, Project announcement and press statement.
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Joe Kennedy, Sheriff, Dubuque County Sheriff's Office
"When it comes to the traffic, it's really going to depend on what the scope of the project is. At the entrances we're probably going to have an increased number of rear-end accidents and things like that." Said October 27, 2026, Dubuque County Board of Supervisors work session.
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Ann McDonough, County Supervisor, Dubuque County Board of Supervisors
"There's not night shifts to this for construction. And there's no weekend construction, at least that's the draft. So it's going to be a resource issue." Said October 27, 2026, Dubuque County Board of Supervisors work session.
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Cathy Severns, SOKY Indivisible, said data center debate has driven activism and organizing among residents. Said October 27, 2026.
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Sarah Lofald, Board Member, Stop the Hermantown Data Center
"It was really moving to see people so passionate about their communities, about their environment, about the public process. And it was really moving to see them practice their right to free speech and practice their right to peacefully protest." Said October 27, 2026, Post-protest statement.
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Deb Ballin, Resident, St. Joseph Community
"In the planning session, earlier there was no talk about whether a data center would not be a good idea for the city of St. Joseph. I don't know completely whether it is or isn't because I'm not an expert in all of those fields. We need to check and we need to find out if we can support a data center." Said October 27, 2026, St. Joseph City Council meeting.
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Svein Newman, Climate Action Program Manager, Missoula County
"I think it's sort of the elephant in the room. A lot of people will say 'why not just ban them,' but one of our findings is that it's likely not permissible under Montana's Right to Compute Act." Said October 27, 2026, Public presentation at Missoula County Fairgrounds.
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Svein Newman, Climate Action Program Manager, Missoula County
"First and foremost, the study finds that data centers can have very real impacts on health, safety, and the environment, and that as a county, we need to take that seriously." Said October 27, 2026, Public presentation at Missoula County Fairgrounds.
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Dimple Ajmera, Council Member, Charlotte City Council
"In the next 11 months, we will have an opportunity to put guardrails in place to protect our residents, to protect our neighborhoods and to protect water and the electricity grid." Said October 27, 2026, Charlotte City Council meeting.
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Vern Thompson, Candidate for Agriculture Commissioner, Democratic-NPL Party
"I think it's the most important issue facing the people of North Dakota and its future. We're at a time where we need to take it slow and deliberate, and understand what we're doing." Said October 27, 2026, Campaign/election discussion.
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Doug Goehring, Agriculture Commissioner, State of North Dakota
"Agriculture is becoming more and more tech driven." Said October 27, 2026, Campaign/election discussion.
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Sofia Leyva, University of New Mexico Senior, University of New Mexico
"I'm really concerned for the future here in my home, a place that is so arid and so dry already. As an artist, AI really concerns me in that aspect as well. It's been taking a lot of creative work from people who have grown up here." Said October 27, 2026, Albuquerque march to Senator Heinrich's office.
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Josh Dini, Tribal representative, Walker River Paiute Tribe
"It's on private land. And our concern is the water." Said October 27, 2026, Nevada advocacy event.
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Ken Miller, political science professor, UNLV
"A lot of times some industries need to keep up a high level of maintenance of donation because they need to ensure that regulations on them don't change or they don't move against the competing industry. Those are the types of reasons why you maintain very high levels of political spending and that that hasn't been the case for data centers until now." Said October 27, 2026, The Nevada Independent analysis.
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Debra Hendrickson, Climate advocate, NV Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics
"If you agree that AI, that this is a worthwhile goal, why are you pursuing it in ways that are so destructive to the state and to the world?" Said October 27, 2026, Nevada advocacy event.
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Bruce Blakeman, Gubernatorial Candidate, Republican Party of New York
"You put a ban in because you said that you needed time to figure it out. What have you been doing for the last four years?" Said October 27, 2026, Gubernatorial debate.
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Michael Scharfenberg, Mahoning County voter, Mahoning County
"Artificial intelligence. Just talking about data centers, Ohio's uniquely set up for them. We have shuttered mills, shuttered industry all over this state. A massive data center doesn't use any more electricity than a steel mill or a machining plant, you know, a large scale one. I would rather have a hundred really well-paid employees put on a plant that currently has 10 people at minimum wage cleaning floors and keeping pipes from leaking." Said October 27, 2026, Ideastream Playhouse Square studios.
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Riley DeCavitch, Trumbull County voter, Trumbull County
"I think there 100% needs to be some type of restriction. I think we need to, one, pause any building and get our foundation ... What are we putting here and why are we doing it, instead of just running full steam ahead." Said October 27, 2026, Ideastream Playhouse Square studios.
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Kyler Osterberger, Local parent and resident, Fairfield community
"The resources, the electricity, rising costs." Said October 27, 2026, Halloween event in Fairfield.
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Linda Moodie, Volunteer organizer, Conserve Ohio
"We don't necessarily trust that the government's going do the right thing." Said October 27, 2026, Fairfield Halloween event.
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Ray Lewis, Mayor, McDonald Village
"would not support a data-center project in the village without a community-benefit agreement in place." Said October 27, 2026, WFMJ.
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Austin Baurichter, Co-writer, Proposed Constitutional Amendment, Conserve Ohio
"We have begged for help from both sides of the aisle. Anyone and any person in a position of political in this state. We've essentially prostrated ourselves before them said please help us preserve our communities. Haven't seen it." Said October 27, 2026, WLWT interview.
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Austin Keyser, Vice President, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)
"It's a huge opportunity to redevelop our communities and create jobs in our communities. In this region in particularly we've had an excess of electricity for many years. We lost a lot of our heavy industries in the state like steel mills, rubber plants and things like that." Said October 27, 2026, Spectrum News interview.
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Linda Moodie, Organizer, Conserve Ohio
"We don't necessarily trust that the government's going do the right thing." Said October 27, 2026, Public event in Fairfield, Ohio.
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Julie Stout, McDonald resident, Mahoning Valley
"does not feel McDonald residents have any say in whether a data center gets built on the former U.S. Steel property." Said October 27, 2026, A Slice of Politics conversation hosted by journalist Amy Eddings at Ideastream's Playhouse Square studios.
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Jade Davis, President and Chief Executive Officer, BRITE Energy Innovators
"If you look at what search engines were say maybe 30 years ago vs what they are now, a lot of that has been improved by use of AI and its development. What we are seeing right now is the infrastructure for larger AI systems." Said October 27, 2026, Spectrum News interview.
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Austin Baurichter, Co-writer, Proposed Constitutional Amendment, Conserve Ohio
"People will have a chance to vote on what they want for their communities and their future." Said October 27, 2026, WLWT interview.
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James Cooper, Council member, Oklahoma City Council
"There is no way I would support this. You couldn't pay me money to support this." Said October 27, 2026, Oklahoma City Council meeting.
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Katrina Avers, Council member, Oklahoma City Council
"This is such a big deal. It is a once in a century development." Said October 27, 2026, Oklahoma City Council meeting.
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David Holt, Mayor, Oklahoma City
"I do not think that means that Oklahoma City is open for business for data centers. I think this is kind of a stand-alone vote that should not send a signal that Oklahoma City is open for this type of project. It merely is a reflection of a very unique set of circumstances." Said October 27, 2026, Oklahoma City Council meeting.
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Pediatrician and Democratic U.S. Senate Nominee, South Carolina Democratic Party
Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Dr. Annie Andrews called for a two year statewide moratorium on new data center construction in South Carolina, arguing that unchecked hyperscale development threatens household electricity rates, water supplies, and county tax bases. Said October 27, 2026.
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U.S. Senator
Senator Darline Graham opposed calls for a data center moratorium in South Carolina and defended hyperscale artificial intelligence infrastructure as essential to U.S. national security in competition with China, while the AI industry super PAC Building the Future reserved 1.5 million dollars in television advertising supporting his reelection. Said October 27, 2026.
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Mason McCallister, voter and community advocate, Texas community
"data centers aren't good for communities 'long-term." Said October 27, 2026, Fox News America Reports.
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Louise Lucas, Senate Finance Chair, Virginia General Assembly
"I think we need to do whatever is necessary to make sure we get that $1.9 billion from the data center industry." Said October 27, 2026, Joint subcommittee meeting.
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Luke Torian, House Appropriations Chairman, Virginia General Assembly
"Our responsibility as policymakers is to make sure that growth happens in a way that protects Virginians." Said October 27, 2026, Joint subcommittee meeting.
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Brent Peterman, forum attendee, Wyoming Outdoor Council community forum
"I'm tired of the little man getting screwed over. So the big people, who are already on top, can buy another (expletive) yacht." Said October 27, 2026, Sheridan Junior High School cafeteria.
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Jocelyn Wulf, data center campaign manager, Wyoming Outdoor Council
"We're seeing these hyperscale data centers use as much or more power as all of the homes and all of the businesses in Wyoming combined." Said October 27, 2026, Sheridan Junior High School cafeteria.
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Jocelyn Wulf, data center campaign manager, Wyoming Outdoor Council
"the 'sky is the limit' as far as what demands Campbell County can make should a developer propose a hyperscale data center nearby." Said October 27, 2026, Camplex Heritage Center.
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Vantage Data Centers Aurora Campus (Project Trident)
Aurora City Council voted 6 to 5 on October 27, 2026 against suspending council rules to reconsider a moratorium on new data center applications, falling one vote short of the seven votes required despite Mayor Mike Coffman reversing his August stance to back a pause amid neighborhood pushback over Project Trident. The record reads proposed.
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The Power Challenge Behind Hyperscale AI Expansion
An analyst said twelve months of data center project announcements indicate a structural multiyear digital infrastructure buildout continuing into the foreseeable future, despite community opposition and moratoria.
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Next for Bessemer: QTS data center eyes 5-7 year buildout, talks on economic benefits
record_items.
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Arizona could end up relying more on natural gas as data centers demand more energy
Arizona Public Service saw record energy demands during summer 2026, with data centers comprising half of the year's energy growth. Power companies are planning additional natural gas projects as data centers drive unprecedented electricity demand, potentially increasing reliance on the fossil fuel.
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PG&E Data Center Applications Increase, Completed Projects Lag - RTO Insider
Pacific Gas and Electric's data center project queue continues to grow, but completions have lagged expectations over the past two years.
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San Diego City Council passes a temporary moratorium on data centers - San Diego Union-Tribune
San Diego City Council unanimously approved a 45 day data center moratorium on October 27, 2026, extendable to 10 months 15 days, directing a stakeholder working group to develop rules on power, water, and costs within 180 days.
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City Council extends Gilroy’s moratorium on data centers - Gilroy Dispatch
Gilroy City Council unanimously extended its temporary moratorium on new data centers for 10 months and 15 days through September 3, 2027, to allow time for developing regulatory standards.
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Colorado communities press pause on data centers - Environment America
Four local governments in Colorado enacted data center moratoriums in one week in October 2026.
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Aurora City Council minority blocks consideration of data center moratorium in late-night vote - The Denver Post
Aurora City Council blocked a procedural vote on a proposed data center moratorium on October 27 after it received only six of the seven votes needed for reconsideration.
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Aurora City Council decides against voting on data center ban - The Center Square
Aurora City Council voted 6-5 against suspending rules to reconsider a data center moratorium on October 27, blocking debate and a vote on the measure.
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Northern Colorado county considers data center regulations, requests community feedback - CBS News
Larimer County released draft regulations for data centers that would cap power use, prohibit evaporative cooling, and exclude hyperscale facilities from unincorporated areas.
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Aurora lawmakers reject data center moratorium amid resident calls of 'shame'
Aurora City Council rejected reconsideration of a data center moratorium by one vote, with more than 50 residents speaking in favor and opponents of the Trident facility calling the rejection a failure.
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Memo: De Beque ‘received interest’ from data center developer - The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel
De Beque plans to discuss a data center moratorium at its board meeting after a staff memo warned that a developer has expressed interest in building a data center in the town.
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Data center demand drives capacity investments at Shelton’s Hubbell - Hartford Business Journal
Hubbell's electrical equipment sales jumped 51% including acquisitions as data center demand led growth in its Electrical Solutions division during the third quarter.
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Potential Danbury Data Center Draws Concerns, Opposition - Patch
State Representative Raghib Allie Brennan announced opposition to a potential data center development at The Summit in Danbury, Connecticut and proposed legislation to eliminate tax incentives for new data centers and establish stronger community protections.
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Watch Florida gubernatorial candidates clash over data center expansion - Big Money in the Morning - FOX One
FOX One reported on data center expansion as a dividing issue in the Florida gubernatorial race, featuring interviews with Digital Realty and opposing views from candidates Byron Donalds and David Jolly.
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DeSoto County commissioners to vote on 238-acre data center - WINK News
DeSoto County commissioners scheduled a vote on rezoning for a 238 acre data center project with up to 1.8 million square feet of buildings.
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Data Centers, Power Bills, Hurricanes: What’s at Stake for the Environment in Florida’s Senate Race - Inside Climate News
In Florida's 2026 Senate race, candidates Ashley Moody and Angie Nixon disagreed on data center policy, with Nixon calling for a moratorium and Moody backing community decision making and the Ratepayer Protection Act.
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Venice FL Advances 1-Year Data Center Moratorium Proposal - Hoodline
Venice, Florida advanced a 12 month data center moratorium on first reading, pausing applications for large scale facilities while the city develops regulations.
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OpenAI data center would fill 72 acres of wetlands
OpenAI's Effingham County data center project has filed a Clean Water Act permit application to fill 72 acres of forested wetlands, increasing impacts from the original 22 acre allowance under the Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub permit.
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Cherokee County to hold data center townhall meeting as moratorium continues
Cherokee County is holding an open house meeting on Nov. 18 to gather resident input for developing data center ordinances while an active moratorium on data centers remains in effect following a July commission vote.
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Georgia Power faces questions as data center demand surges - WABE
Georgia Power executives said the utility evaluates data center projects by assessing whether developers can cover costs and has approved about 50 to 70 of Georgia's 100 to 200 data centers.
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Warnock, Johnson ask EPA to regulate diesel generators at data centers - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock and U.S. Representative Hank Johnson called on the EPA to regulate diesel generator emissions at data centers, arguing hundreds of generators in Georgia alone would more than double nitric oxide emissions from the state's two largest coal fired power plants.
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520MW data center planned in Eatonton, Georgia
Eatonton 379, LLC filed a Development of Regional Impact application for a 520MW data center campus with 11 buildings on 542 acres in Putnam County, Georgia, targeting 2031 operation.
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OpenAI applies for federal permit to build portion of Effingham County, Georgia, data center on wetlands - report
OpenAI applied to the Army Corps of Engineers for a federal permit to fill 72 acres of wetlands for its 4.4 million square foot Project Camellia data center in Effingham County, Georgia.
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Construction Of Military Data Center On Maui Alarms Residents - Honolulu Civil Beat
A nearly 100 million dollar military data center and laboratory under construction in Kīhei, Maui is expected to open in early 2027 to support seven proposed telescopes at Haleakalā summit.
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Sioux County passes ordinance on data centers - The N'West Iowa REVIEW
Sioux County passed a data center ordinance in a 4-1 vote on its third reading, rescinding the June moratorium and establishing regulations including a 25 megawatt limit per facility.
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CSI report finds Iowa is Midwest leader in data center development - Radio Iowa
A Common Sense Institute report finds currently operating and proposed Iowa data centers would generate $3.1 billion in property taxes by 2040 with $53 billion invested in buildings and equipment by 2031.
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LEAP, Colorado firm propose $10 billion, 423-acre data center in Holt
The Lansing Economic Area Partnership and Colorado based Lighthouse Sustainability announced a proposal for a 700 megawatt, 423 acre data center in Delhi Township near Holt, valued at over 10 billion dollars, promising to triple township tax revenue and fund a 20 million dollar community benefit fund.
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Dubuque County targets traffic, emergency strain as data center debate looms over election
Dubuque County supervisors examined road capacity and emergency service impacts during a dedicated work session, as the county continues its one year moratorium on large scale facilities ending July 2027.
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Anxious about AI: Polls show Americans oppose data centers, have fears about machine learning
National polls show 72 percent of Americans oppose new data centers in their communities, with 57 percent believing AI will be bad for society, ahead of midterm elections.
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What are Illinois candidates saying about data centers? - WBEZ Chicago
Illinois political candidates are proposing diverse data center oversight strategies including closed loop cooling systems, developer supplied power, and increased local decision making authority.
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How data centers are defining some local Indiana elections - Indiana Public Media
Data center controversies are driving electoral engagement across Indiana counties, with voters opposing new construction and commissioners from Miami County to LaPorte County facing races defined by data center support or opposition.
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Evergy says data centers won't raise your rates. Here's how that works
Evergy announced new tariff structures for large load customers exceeding 75 megawatts, including higher rates, required infrastructure cost payments, minimum monthly bills, and collateral requirements. The rules apply to data centers and other large industrial customers across Missouri and Kansas.
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Topeka and Shawnee County citizens file petitions to stop data centers - The Topeka Capital-Journal
Topeka citizens filed three ballot petitions with Shawnee County to ban data center campuses within the city, restrict annexation of land with data centers, and further restrict municipal water services for data centers outside city limits.
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Another Kentucky city puts pin in data centers - WUKY
Georgetown, Kentucky unanimously extended its data center moratorium through June 30, 2027, while officials develop restrictions and a potential hyperscale ban.
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Data center concerns give grassroots organizing new focus in southcentral Kentucky - WKU Public Radio
Data center development concerns are driving grassroots organizing and voter engagement in Bowling Green and southcentral Kentucky as Election Day approaches.
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Louisville leaders debate hyper-scale data center restrictions - WDRB
Louisville Metro Planning and Zoning Committee discussed proposed restrictions on hyperscale data centers, with some council members concerned the regulations could be too strict and discourage development.
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Madisonville residents upset at city's handling of proposed data center rules
Madisonville residents expressed frustration with the city's development process for new data center regulations, citing insufficient public comment time and accelerated timelines that limited community input opportunities.
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Susan Collins vs. Troy Jackson on AI Data Centers Amid Maine Voters’ Fears - Newsweek
Maine Senate candidates Susan Collins and Troy Jackson both support guardrails on data center development, with Jackson calling for a moratorium while Collins backs the Ratepayer Protection Act, as Maine voters strongly oppose data center construction.
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Watch Mike Rogers pushes data center moratorium amid Michigan voter concerns - FNC - FOX One
Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers discussed data center development as part of his response to voter concerns ahead of the election.
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Amid furor over data center secrecy, Michigan developers try a new approach - Bridge Michigan
Lansing Economic Area Partnership announced plans to consider siting a data center on a 423 acre site near Holt, Michigan, with a target of roughly 1 gigawatt and $10 billion investment, pending community approval.
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Mike Rogers pushes data center moratorium amid Michigan voter concerns - Fox News
Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers addressed voter concerns about data center development on Fox & Friends, pushing for a data center moratorium.
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Developers eye 423-acre Holt data center, stress community buy-in - The Detroit News
Economic development officials are beginning a community engagement process for a more than $10 billion data center on a 423 acre site in Holt and Delhi Township, with plans to develop a framework with community input over six months.
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Protesters shut down Hermantown data center vote
Hermantown City Council postponed votes on final local approval for a proposed Google data center on October 27, 2026 after approximately two hours of continuous protest chanting. The postponement reflects growing contention over data centers across Minnesota and the nation ahead of midterm elections.
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Google data center hearing in Hermantown, Minnesota, shut down due to protests
Hermantown, Minnesota, city council hearing on Google data center was adjourned due to protests, rescheduled for October 27; project faces opposition and lawsuits over water, land use and zoning.
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Data centers in Minnesota received more than $1 billion in tax breaks - WDIO.com
Minnesota has provided more than one billion dollars in sales tax exemptions to data centers since 2015, but lawmakers eliminated the electricity exemption in 2025 to address hyperscale facility concerns.
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Minnesota has dozens of data centers. Here’s where they are. - 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS
Minnesota has dozens of operational, decommissioned and proposed data centers; most are enterprise or colocation facilities, with proposed hyperscale facilities significantly larger.
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St. Joseph City Council withdraws GBA Inc. contract for data center development, approves Mitchell Avenue rezoning
St. Joseph City Council withdrew its contract with GBA Inc. for data center development services and approved a new contract with Renew Missouri Advocates for community outreach and zoning legal services, while approving rezoning of 16 properties along Mitchell Avenue.
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Ferguson residents call for investigations into data center tax abatement deal
Ferguson residents called for investigations into a tax abatement deal approving a data center and technology hub on the former Emerson campus, citing possible conflicts of interest.
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Missoula County releases draft study on data center impacts
Missoula County released a draft study on October 27, 2026 examining data center impacts on health, safety and the environment. The study found that a complete ban is likely not permissible under Montana's Right to Compute Act and recommends adopting thorough zoning rules and extending the one year emergency moratorium adopted in July 2026.
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Charlotte Extends Data Center Moratorium For 11 More Months
Charlotte City Council voted unanimously on Oct. 27 to extend its data center moratorium for 11 months to Oct. 18, 2027, providing time to develop regulations and protect residents and infrastructure from facility impacts.
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NC Gov, AG call for data center owners to help pay for new power plants - NC Newsline
North Carolina's governor and attorney general urged regulators to require data center developers to pay for new power plants and develop their own clean energy, citing projected demand growth.
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Amazon to launch $10B data center upgrade in North Carolina - TechTarget
Amazon announced a $10 billion data center investment in North Carolina to support artificial intelligence, including plans for a 20 building campus and 500 new jobs.
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North Dakota ag commissioner candidates differ on data center development
North Dakota agriculture commissioner candidates Doug Goehring and Vern Thompson differ on state agency roles in data center regulation. Goehring says the Legislature should decide policy while Thompson argues the Industrial Commission should provide leadership as local townships lack state guidance.
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Lawmakers say push from public, governor behind new batch of proposed data center guardrails - New Hampshire Public Radio
New Hampshire lawmakers filed early proposals for statewide moratoriums on data centers, backed by Governor Kelly Ayotte's call for a years long pause.
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Lawmakers say push from public, governor behind new batch of proposed data center guardrails
New Hampshire lawmakers propose statewide moratoriums on data centers for 2027, with governor Kelly Ayotte supporting a multi year pause after public opposition to Nottingham and Bow proposals.
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Cumberland County Democratic Chair Slams Republican Candidates for Taking Dark Money Linked to Data Center Industry - Insider NJ
Cumberland County Democratic Chair Kevin P. McCann criticized Republican candidates for accepting campaign contributions from a dark money organization with ties to the AI data center industry and Qualcomm, citing environmental violations at DataOne Vineland.
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Power down: Students walk out statewide, march on Heinrich's office to demand leaders 'pull the plug' on AI data centers
Students across New Mexico participated in statewide walkouts to protest AI data center expansion, targeting Project Jupiter in Santa Teresa and federal legislation they claim would weaken environmental protections and tribal consultation requirements.
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New Mexico students walk out of classes to protest data centers, US Sen. Heinrich’s permitting bill - Source New Mexico
New Mexico students protested data centers and urged leaders to support a statewide moratorium; gubernatorial nominee Deb Haaland pledged to enact an executive order moratorium if elected; a Dec. 7 hearing will decide Project Jupiter's air quality permit.
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First building at Project Jupiter data center campus in New Mexico topped out
First building of Project Jupiter data center campus in New Mexico topped out; four building campus will span 1,400 acres with up to 2.5GW capacity and will house OpenAI infrastructure.
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Hearing officer rejects bid to toss revised Project Jupiter air permit
A hearing officer denied a request to dismiss the revised air quality permit for Project Jupiter data center in Santa Teresa, New Mexico on October 27, 2026. A public hearing is scheduled for December 7.
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Students, tribal leaders protest Heinrich's permitting bill, saying it could speed data centers and fossil fuels
Students and tribal leaders in New Mexico protested U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich's Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act on October 27, 2026, expressing concerns that the energy permitting bill would accelerate data center and fossil fuel projects.
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Here's why data center campaign contributions to Nevada politics are rising
Nevada data center companies increased campaign contributions ahead of a legislative session expected to bring heightened scrutiny. Analysis shows companies linked to Nevada data centers gave $17 million over two decades, with recent quarterly campaign filings reaching $100,000 and predominantly backing Democratic candidates.
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Advocates Raise Concerns Over Nevada Data Center Expansion, Cite Water and Energy Use
Nevada advocates gathered to voice opposition to ongoing data center expansion, raising concerns about water use, energy demands, and reliance on fossil fuels. The Monarch Data Center in Lyon County and proposed methane gas plants were cited as specific concerns.
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NY Gov. Hochul once resisted a data center pause. Now it's central to her campaign.
Governor Kathy Hochul reversed her position on data centers between May and July 2026, announcing a year long moratorium on large scale projects. She has made the moratorium a centerpiece of her reelection campaign against Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman, who opposes the pause.
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Ohio Democrats criticize Husted on tariffs, data centers, and support for Iran war
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Ohio residents want a say on data centers. Companies spend big to thwart them
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McDonald Ohio Data Center Debate Divides Mahoning Valley
McDonald village imposed a one year moratorium on data center applications as residents debate a proposed $1 billion facility on the former steel plant site. The project would span over 1 million square feet with developers planning 350 acres of development.
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Ohio emerges as data center hub, bringing new investments and jobs
Ohio hosts over 200 data centers, the fifth highest state nationally, with developers redeveloping former industrial sites and generating over 95,000 jobs and 26.4 billion dollars in economic output in 2024. A massive data center project is under construction in southern Ohio at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant site.
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Ohioans will decide on most data center ballot issues in America
Ohio voters will decide on 21 local data center ballot issues in November, more than any other state, including proposed bans, regulations, and zoning changes across 18 communities and 16 counties. A statewide grassroots effort is also seeking voter approval for a constitutional amendment banning data centers exceeding 25 megawatts.
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NPR: Data centers are a hot-button issue for Ohioans as midterms near - WVXU
Ohio data center growth has sparked fierce backlash during the midterm elections, with grassroots groups seeking a statewide ban and candidates from both parties responding to voter concerns about water, power and land use.
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A small Huron County village is weighing a big data center — with voter sentiment on the ballot - News 5 Cleveland WEWS
Decimal Digital, a New Jersey developer, is seeking to bring a one billion dollar, 100 megawatt data center to Monroeville, Huron County, Ohio, with an advisory ballot measure on November 3 gauging voter sentiment.
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In Ohio, Crypto Revenge Spending Runs Into a Data Center Backlash - The American Prospect
Ohio residents and politicians express opposition to data center construction, with a recent poll showing 75 percent of likely voters opposed to data centers in their community.
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Data centers are a hot-button issue for Ohioans as midterms near
Ohio has experienced rapid data center growth and fierce community backlash amid midterm elections. Political candidates across party lines have addressed voter concerns, with debate focused on environmental impact, power grid upgrades, and accountability measures.
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Candidates work to ease concerns as data centers become hot-button issue for Ohioans
Data centers have emerged as a contentious electoral issue in Ohio's midterm races, with both Democratic and Republican candidates fielding voter concerns about resource consumption and pollution while advocating for greater corporate accountability.
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These Mahoning Valley voters are at odds over limits on Ohio's data center development
Ohio voters debated whether to impose restrictions on data center development on October 27, 2026, disagreeing on whether to pause construction or eliminate tax incentives. Most agreed data centers should pay for power consumption.
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Institute warns about data center fears undermining Oklahoma's cheap electricity
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Oklahoma City Council approves rezoning for data center project with conditions
Oklahoma City Council approved rezoning for a Beltline Energy data center campus near Interstate 40 and Frisco Road, subject to special conditions addressing water usage, electricity, and noise constraints.
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OKC approves zoning for first mega-data center
Oklahoma City Council approved rezoning land to accommodate a mega data center campus on the west side of the city, advancing the project to the permitting phase.
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Once in a century development: OKC City Council votes 6-3 to rezone land for data center
Oklahoma City Council voted 6-3 to rezone agricultural land near Frisco Road and NW 23rd Street to planned unit development districts to accommodate a data center campus, allowing the project to proceed to the permitting phase.
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Pennsylvania lawmaker proposes statewide data center impact fee
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Pa. candidates weigh in on data centers. See who answered
Student reporters from Penn State's News Lab surveyed 126 Pennsylvania state and federal House candidates from Sept. 17 to Oct. 21 about data centers, with only 39 responding. Surveys show 74 percent of Pennsylvania voters oppose AI data center development in their communities.
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Shippingport Gas Fuel Yard Permit Shows Data Center Hub Taking Shape - Marcellus Drilling News
A permit application shows Aligned Data Centers' 2 GW data center campus at the Bruce Mansfield site in Shippingport breaking ground, with associated natural gas infrastructure permitting at the former coal plant.
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Pennsylvania complaint challenges PPL’s ratepayer protections - TechTarget
Pennsylvania's consumer advocate challenged PPL Electric's large load tariff, alleging that a hyperscale data center campus would shift $156.9 million in infrastructure costs from the data center customer to other ratepayers.
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FracTracker Alliance: A.I. Data Center Developers Propose 12.5 GW Of Natural Gas-Fired Power Plants To Feed 12 Data Center Projects In Southwest PA - PA Environment Digest Blog
FracTracker Alliance reported that AI data center developers are proposing 12.5 gigawatts of natural gas power plants to serve 12 data center projects in six southwestern Pennsylvania counties.
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Where Pennsylvania candidates stand on data centers - WITF
The News Lab surveyed 126 Pennsylvania legislative candidates on data centers and reported that 74 percent of state residents oppose building an AI data center in their community, while the state is tracking about 70 proposed projects.
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Legislation would establish data center impact fee - Pennsylvania Business Report -
Pennsylvania state Senate legislation would establish a statewide annual impact fee on data centers based on facility size and electricity demand, modeled after the Marcellus Shale impact fee program.
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Hazle Twp. data center ordinance meeting rescheduled to Thursday - NewsBreak: Local News & Alerts
Hazle Township Planning Commission rescheduled its special meeting on a proposed data center ordinance to Thursday evening to review amendments regarding data center development, battery storage systems, and related infrastructure uses.
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Hazle Twp. planners invite public comments on data center rules - The Standard-Speaker
Hazle Township planning department moved its meeting to review a data center ordinance curative amendment to October 29, requiring closed loop cooling, setbacks, noise studies and special exception approval.
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Radnor is weighing strict regulations on data centers as the facilities crop up across Pa.
Radnor Township advanced a draft ordinance to limit data centers to two office park zones with strict rules on noise, heat, water, power and proximity to homes.
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U.S. Senate Democratic Nominee Dr. Annie Andrews calls for data center moratorium - ABC Columbia
South Carolina Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Dr. Annie Andrews called for a two year data center moratorium to give residents a say in development.
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AI Industry Super PAC Reserves $1.5 Million to Back Graham as Data Centers Become Midterm Flashpoint
The New York Times reports that Building the Future, a super PAC aligned with the artificial intelligence and data center industry, reserved 1.5 million dollars in advertising to back Republican Senator Darline Graham in South Carolina after an NYT and Siena poll showed a 48 percent to 48 percent tie with Democratic challenger Dr. Annie Andrews, who has campaigned for a two year statewide moratorium on new data centers.
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Texas agriculture commissioner: GOP could pay price for data center push
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Texas officials huddled with tech companies before grid blitz
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Texas voter warns of power grid strain from secretive data center boom
Texas voter Mason McCallister warned of power grid strain from rapid data center deployment and called for greater transparency from developers and state officials.
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Poll: 3 in 4 likely voters in Texas expect a new data center to raise their power bill
A WFAA poll found that 75 percent of likely Texas voters expect new data centers to increase their power bills, reflecting public concern about grid impacts.
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Texas voters are worried about the data center boom, UH poll finds - Houston Chronicle
A University of Houston poll found Texas voters' concerns about data centers but the full content is not available.
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University of Houston poll shows likely Texas voters' concerns on data centers - ABC13 Houston
A University of Houston poll showed 69% of Texas likely voters are very concerned about data center impacts on electricity prices and water supply, with 65% concerned about power outages.
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Will a Data Center Backlash Help James Talarico Turn Texas Blue? - Reason Magazine
Texas voters oppose data center expansion in rural areas, giving Democratic state Rep. James Talarico an unexpected edge in the 2026 Senate race against Republican Ken Paxton.
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San Antonio Mayor Jones pushes tougher data center rules, more funding for neighborhoods - WOAI
San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones calls for stricter data center regulations including council approval for permits, 1,000 foot setback from residential areas, and transparency on utilities.
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At 7x24 Exchange, AI Data Center Growth Confronts New Realities of Power, Grid Reliability and Community Trust
7x24 Exchange conference examined how AI data centers are challenging infrastructure design, grid reliability and community acceptance, with opposition identified as the industry's top concern.
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Daily news: Iron County ends its data center pause early with new zoning regulations - Utah Public Radio
Iron County, Utah ended its data center moratorium early and approved new zoning regulations to allow large data centers, despite opposition from the Paiute Indian Tribe.
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Iron County repeals data center moratorium, approves overlay zone for large developments
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Guest opinion: Voting for Amendment B would make fighting data centers harder - heraldextra.com
A Box Elder County resident argues voting against Amendment B, a Utah constitutional amendment raising the ballot initiative threshold to 60 percent for measures affecting taxes, is necessary to preserve voters' ability to challenge data center tax incentives like Stratos's.
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Iron County approves data center ordinance, ends moratorium despite calls for delay - St. George News
Iron County commissioners approved new data center and energy project regulations and ended a development moratorium.
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A southern Utah county was the first to hit pause on new data centers. Now it’s tightening the rules.
Iron County, Utah, commissioners unanimously approved new regulations for data centers on October 26, 2026, repealing a temporary moratorium passed in June and establishing rules for water use, power plant buffers, and facility size.
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Spanish Fork City Ordinance No. 16-2026 Data Center Referendum Petition Information
Spanish Fork, Utah residents submitted a referendum petition seeking to repeal City Ordinance No. 16-2026, which authorizes data centers and onsite power generation. The city provided official information on the referendum process and signature removal procedures.
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Why new Utah data centers are building 'off-the-grid' energy
Seven data centers under construction in Utah will use nearly three times as much energy as all currently existing ones, with more than half coming from behind the meter sources.
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Data center demand surges; what will Dominion do if those projects fall through?
Dominion Energy's Integrated Resource Plan projects residential electric bills in Virginia could rise more than 100 dollars over 20 years as data center demand grows, with approximately 12,000 megawatts of data center capacity already under contract within its retail service territory.
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Virginia Assembly Remains Divided on Data Center Growth Issue
Virginia's General Assembly remains divided on how to tax the data center industry, with Senate Finance Chair Louise Lucas seeking to repeal a 16 year old exemption while House Appropriations Chairman Luke Torian advocates a balanced approach.
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New Kent planning board sounds off on data center guidelines - Daily Press
New Kent County is drafting rigorous data center standards requiring pre application meetings, conditional use permits, community forums, noise and cooling regulations, water usage limits, minimum acreage thresholds, and decommissioning plans after rejecting a fast track technology overlay proposal.
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Your letters: Snyder’s data center tax breaks mean $2 billion less for schools - Wausau Pilot & Review
Wisconsin is projected to forgo $2 billion in sales tax revenue to subsidize hyperscale data centers through tax exemptions on construction approved by Rep. Pat Snyder in 2023.
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Public hearing input used in massive data center state waters application decision
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection held a final public hearing for the Monarch data center project's state waters permit application, with the agency stating it will use public input to inform its permitting decision.
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'Sky is the limit': Nonprofit educates residents on how to negotiate a data center deal
Wyoming Outdoor Council presented to approximately 100 Campbell County residents about hyperscale data center Community Benefits Agreements. The presentation highlighted examples like Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which negotiated noise limits, water caps, and clean energy requirements along with $20 million in community funding.
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Sheridan residents weigh risks, regulations surrounding AI data centers
Wyoming Outdoor Council hosted a community forum in Sheridan County where residents expressed concerns about hyperscale data center impacts, including water, energy, air quality, noise, heat, and wildlife. The forum aimed to educate the community and encourage proactive planning before any proposals arrive.
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