Policy guardrails and public pushback continue to shape where — and whether — data centers get built.
This week saw multiple counties and cities consider moratoria or new zoning rules, as residents across the country rally against proposals over their water, energy, and environmental impacts. Meanwhile, developers and economic development boards argue data centers are vital tax generators that can offset residential burdens, even as local leaders seek stronger siting controls and transparency.
Prince William County Votes Against STACK Infrastructure’s Campus Expansion
Prince William County supervisors voted 4–2 to reject STACK Infrastructure’s proposed Bristow Campus, marking the first data center denial by the current board. The decision followed intense community protests and underscored growing local resistance in western Prince William.
Delaware Data Center Proposal Continues to Face Public Opposition as State and Local Officials Propose New Regulations
A proposed 1.2GW, 6-million-square-foot Starwood Digital Ventures campus in Delaware City has triggered strong opposition over its environmental and grid impacts. New Castle County is drafting an ordinance to impose stricter siting, water, and noise rules, while state lawmakers explore new energy-rate legislation.
CCDA Members See Potential Tax Benefits in Data Centers
Coweta County, GA development officials said industrial projects like data centers could stabilize the tax base with lower service costs than residential growth. Some warned that rejecting the proposed Project Sail campus could force tax hikes or trigger more disruptive development under current zoning.
Showdown Over Google’s Data Center Project Set for Indianapolis Council Hearing
Protesters packed the Indianapolis City-County Building as councilors set a Sept. 22 final hearing on Google’s proposed $1B “Project Flo” campus. Residents cite water, power, and minimal job creation concerns, while supporters tout its economic scale.
Residents Push Back Against Proposed Data Center in Edgecombe County
More than 700 residents have signed a petition opposing a $6.4B, 300MW, 50-acre data center project in Tarboro, NC, raising concerns about noise, water demand, and proximity to homes as the town considers a special use permit.
Twiggs County Residents Oppose Data Center Plans, Demand Environmental Study
Residents in rural Twiggs County, GA want a rezoning vote on the nine-building Pine Ridge Technology Center delayed until an independent environmental study is completed, citing risks to wells, property values, and wildlife.
Dozens Rally in Prince George’s County Against Data Center Project at Abandoned Mall Site
Residents and several councilmembers oppose plans for a data center on the former Landover Mall site, citing environmental impacts and lack of transparency. One councilmember plans to introduce a moratorium until new siting rules are finalized.
Montgomery County Supervisors Seek to Protect Local Control Over Data Center Siting
Montgomery County, VA supervisors are pushing legislative priorities to preserve local land-use authority, oppose state preemption on high-energy-use facilities, and defend local review powers over data center siting.
Shenandoah County Weighing Safeguards as It Shapes Data Center Policy
Shenandoah County, VA is drafting its first data center ordinance to address water use, noise, setbacks, and overlay districts, aiming to avoid the disputes seen in Northern Virginia’s data center corridor.
James City County Is the Latest Virginia County to Regulate Data Centers
James City County approved new zoning restrictions limiting data centers to industrial districts and requiring special permits, joining nearby York County in tightening local oversight.
How Georgia Became the ‘Wild West’ of Data Centers — Is Transparency on the Horizon?
Georgia lawmakers are exploring new Development of Regional Impact rules to track data centers’ water and energy use amid rapid growth and public backlash over opaque tax deals and siting near neighborhoods.
Councilman Seeks Moratorium on New Data Center Development in Louisville
Louisville Councilman Markus Winkler proposed a moratorium on new data centers while the city reviews zoning and siting rules to ensure future projects are properly regulated.
Local Opinion: Public-Health Implications of Data-Center Project Must Be Considered
A Pima County Board of Health member warns Project Blue could overload Tucson’s grid and cause deadly heat-related blackouts, urging officials to cancel the data center land sale on public health grounds.
Georgia Lawmakers Hear From Citizen Activist on Impact of Growing Wave of Data Centers
At a state House hearing, activists raised alarms about data centers’ tree loss, fossil-fuel demand, and water use, while Georgia Power defended rules requiring large-load customers to cover their own transmission costs.
Opinion: Are Minnesota Cities Secretly Building Data Centers? Residents Deserve to Know
Minnesota’s Center for Environmental Advocacy is suing over NDAs and environmental reviews that obscure data center proposals’ water, energy, noise, and toxic material impacts, arguing secrecy violates state transparency laws.
How Utilities Can Partner With Data Centers Amid Surging Load and On-Site Generation
POWER Engineers outlines how utilities can adapt to surging AI-driven demand via on-site generation, grid-enhancing technologies, and collaborative planning as traditional infrastructure struggles to keep pace.
Data Center Developers Urge NRC to ‘Unleash’ Nuclear Power
The Data Center Coalition urged the NRC to streamline approvals for small modular and microreactors, citing soaring power needs from AI and cloud computing.
Protest Targets ‘Faces’ Responsible for xAI Data Center
Memphis students with Tigers Against Pollution are organizing a protest accusing Elon Musk and local officials of “environmental colonization” and opposing xAI’s data center plans in the city.
What Is a Data Center? Should Indy Residents Be Concerned?
Local media explain the basics of data centers and their pros and cons as Indianapolis weighs Google’s massive “Project Flo,” which could reshape Franklin Township’s landscape and infrastructure.
Adam Waitkunas – Data Center Community Relations – Data Center Community Engagement – Data Center Public Relations – Virginia Data Center –
