How Americans are pushing back on the AI data center buildout — at planning boards, the ballot box, and in the courts — and how that pressure is turning into laws. Drawn from the 9,700+ reports Erin has received from 50 states, and from coverage by reputable news outlets.
Last refreshed October 25, 2026 · sources cited inline
We update this page often because laws and local actions change quickly. Information on this page is subject to change.
Round markers (●) are local outcomes — projects canceled, moratoriums passed, bans approved by voters, and efforts that were vetoed or blocked. Square markers (■) are state-level legislation — laws signed, bills vetoed, and proposals moving. Toggle each layer and click any marker for details. Every marker was source-checked in September 2026; markers added since were checked when added (October 2026).
When residents and councils want time to study the impact before approving more data centers, they're enacting temporary pauses. These moratoriums vary in duration and scope, but they share a goal: don't let the buildout get ahead of the planning.
On April 22, 2026, the Orange County Board of Commissioners voted 6–0 for a one-year pause on large data centers — including AI training, data processing, and crypto mining — to give staff time to revise the county's land use policies before any applications arrive.
Olyphant Borough Council voted 4–3 to halt new data center development for six months while it drafts an AI data center ordinance, after residents raised alarms about plans clustering across Lackawanna County.
Amazon Web Services withdrew its 2.46-million-sq-ft, ~500 MW campus beside the Calvert Cliffs nuclear plant in Lusby on Aug. 4, 2026 — weeks after voters ousted all three commissioners who had opposed a data center pause in the June primary. The board then voted 5–0 for a six-month moratorium on data center site plans starting Aug. 28. Many residents asked for the two-year pause other Maryland counties have adopted.
After residents pressed leaders to act before any plans arrived, the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously on June 8, 2026 for a 12-month moratorium on accepting, reviewing, or approving data center applications — including rezonings and site plans. A Fact-Finding Committee on Data Center Development is using the pause to draft local rules.
Maine's legislature passed what would have been the nation's first statewide moratorium on large AI data centers, citing concerns about the grid and energy costs. Governor Janet Mills vetoed it because it didn't carve out an exception for a planned site in Jay, but advocates say the legislative win is a model other states can build on.
On May 12, 2026 the Hill County Commissioners Court voted 3–2 for a one-year moratorium on data center construction in unincorporated areas — the first such pause by a Texas county. The decision came after residents raised concerns about a proposed 300-acre Provident Data Centers project in north Hillsboro and its noise, water, and electricity impacts.
The Baltimore City Council passed a one-year moratorium on construction of data centers that draw 10 MW or more of power. The bill orders a nine-month study covering energy infrastructure, ratepayer impact, the local economy, and environmental and public health concerns.
Prompted by the Meta Lebanon (LEAP) campus — a $10B / 1 GW project across 1,500 acres — and the proposals stacking up around it, the Boone County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on June 15, 2026 for a one-year moratorium on new data centers in unincorporated areas, running through June 15, 2027. The Area Plan Commission had recommended it 6–0 twice.
Charlotte's City Council voted 11–0 on June 8, 2026 for a 150-day moratorium on new data center development, running through Nov. 5. In September a council committee backed staff's request for more time to study air-pollution monitoring and noise limits; a public hearing on extending the pause is set for Oct. 12 before the full council votes.
Townships across Pennsylvania are adopting 180-day moratoria on data centers so they can draft local ordinances "in peace" before applications arrive. The wave follows Olyphant's earlier six-month halt and reflects organizing across Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Chester counties.
Facing a legal threat from developer QLevr — whose lawyers warned the city's "unlawful actions" could cost more than $150M — the City Council voted 3–2 on June 26, 2026 for a one-year moratorium on new data center development. Residents delivered a roughly 700-signature environmental petition before the vote; the meeting opened at 8 a.m. and was briefly recessed after the crowd jeered council members.
Socorro County commissioners unanimously approved a one-year moratorium on new data centers after backlash over a proposed 10,000-acre solar farm and data center between Socorro and Magdalena. New Mexico Tech, the project's proponent, has since dropped the plan. The county will use the pause to convene a committee of experts and residents to draft permanent regulations.
Lansing's City Council voted 7–1 on July 14, 2026 for a 182-day moratorium on new data center development, taking effect July 27 and running through January 25, 2027, giving the city time to study zoning and infrastructure impacts before more projects arrive.
New Albany's City Council voted unanimously on July 16, 2026 to pause new data center development — blocking facilities or campuses over 100,000 sq ft — for up to a year, giving officials time to study impacts on infrastructure, utilities, environmental resources, and noise.
After months of community pressure and with Mayor Joe Hogsett's backing, the Indianapolis City-County Council voted 23–1 on August 10, 2026 to block new data centers through the end of 2027; the Metropolitan Development Commission enacted it 6–0 on August 19. Three already-approved projects — Metrobloks, Sabey in Decatur Township, and DC Blox near Irvington — are not affected.
Miamisburg City Council voted 6–0 on September 1, 2026 for a nine-month moratorium on data center development, prompted by community concerns about a possible large-scale data center at the former DP&L Hutchings Power Station. The city will use the pause to write development standards.
Before any application had arrived, Mendocino County supervisors voted 5–0 on September 1, 2026 for an urgency moratorium covering hyperscale, colocation, AI and crypto-mining facilities. County counsel warned the code had no data center definition, so one could have been approved with a routine building permit. It runs 45 days and can be extended up to two years.
Statesville's City Council unanimously approved a 180-day moratorium on accepting, processing, and approving data center applications on September 14, 2026, after residents spoke in support at an August hearing. Previously approved data centers are exempt. It joins Charlotte and Waxhaw among North Carolina communities pausing the industry.
After hearing from residents, County Executive Jessica Fitzwater turned down Catellus Real Estate Development's $110 million community benefits offer for its data center campus in southern Frederick County — $30M for Carroll Manor Elementary, $30M for an Adamstown park, and fire-engine money included — and extended the county's pause on new data center applications from Dec. 31, 2026 to July 1, 2027.
Palm Springs adopted a 45-day emergency moratorium on new data center applications and permits on August 26, 2026, then voted unanimously on September 30 to extend it by 22½ months while the city writes data center rules into its zoning code update. The city's codes had no definition or regulations for the facilities.
Raleigh's City Council voted 7–1 on October 6, 2026 to halt approvals for certain large-scale data centers for six months while the city studies the industry. Many speakers asked for a 32-month pause instead and objected to a proposed exemption for facilities drawing up to 5 MW, citing cumulative strain on power, water, roads and air. Developers had already withdrawn a 100,000-sq-ft data center on Jones Sausage Road after neighbors objected.
San Francisco's Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a 45-day moratorium on October 6, 2026 that took effect immediately and also freezes expansions — including the NOVVA facility in Bayview, which planned to grow from 9 to 36 MW by 2028, and a proposed 160,000-sq-ft center in Dogpatch. Sponsor Shamann Walton's measure can be extended up to 22 months while planners study water, energy, air quality and land-use impacts.
Oakland's City Council unanimously approved a 45-day moratorium on new data center approvals on October 6, 2026 — the first in Alameda County — so staff can study impacts and update planning and building codes. Sponsor Carroll Fife has criticized developers' use of NDAs to keep project details from officials and the public. The council can extend it. CalMatters counts at least 26 resolutions, moratoriums or bans passed or proposed in California since June.
Grand Junction's City Council voted 6–0 on October 21, 2026 to block development and pre-development steps for data centers with a load of 1 MW or more for up to a year, while the city writes data center standards into its development code. Residents who spoke welcomed it. Mesa County adopted a similar resolution on September 29, and Fruita is weighing its own.
Plymouth's fall Town Meeting voted 149–0, with one abstention, on October 17, 2026 for a zoning bylaw pausing the application, permitting, construction, expansion or conversion of any data center through October 16, 2027. No application has been filed — the planning board acted first so it can study local impacts and decide whether to write regulations or extend the pause before it expires.
When elected officials don't listen, residents are taking it directly to the polls — passing referenda, signing petitions, and voting out the leaders who approved unpopular projects.
On April 7, 2026, Port Washington voters approved by ~66% an ordinance requiring future Tax Incremental Districts of $10M+ to first win voter approval. The measure was put on the ballot by grassroots group Great Lakes Neighbors United, which collected over 1,000 signatures.
Weeks after the Festus City Council approved a $6B CRG/Clayco data center 6–2 over public objection, voters removed four of the eight council members. A petition is now circulating to remove the remaining members and the mayor.
Beyond Port Washington, voters in Nevada, California, and Maryland are pursuing their own ballot initiatives to give residents more control over data center tax breaks, zoning, and water use.
Monterey Park voters passed Measure NDC on June 2, 2026 by a landslide — 10,321 to 1,362, or 88.3% — permanently banning data centers within city limits over concerns about power demand, water use, and environmental impact. It's believed to be the first vote of its kind in the country.
Local planning and zoning commissions have legitimate authority to deny rezoning requests and conditional use permits. In multiple states they've used it.
Palm Beach County commissioners voted 5–1 to deny Project Tango, a large AI data center proposed for rural Loxahatchee, after more than 12 hours of public testimony on noise, water use, traffic, and compatibility with the surrounding community. The denial was issued "without prejudice," meaning the developer can revise and resubmit — and a data center could still be built on part of the same site under a previously approved warehouse/data-center zoning plan (Central Park Commerce Center).
Killeen's Planning & Zoning Commission denied a permit for a proposed data center on a nearly three-acre vacant property on South Fort Hood Street. Residents had raised concerns about water shortage, air pollution, and noise.
After an 11-hour March meeting and packed opposition, Franklin County Planning & Zoning recommended denial of the $16B Beltline Energy data center 4–5 in April 2026. A community Facebook group, "No AI Data Centers in Franklin County," has over 3,000 members.
Florida's Commerce Secretary Alex Kelly called Project Stonebridge (a $2.6B / 1.2 GW hyperscale plan) "fundamentally flawed" over water, energy, and transportation risks. The Southwest Florida Water Management District blocked use of Fort Meade's existing infrastructure for the project.
On May 21, 2026, East Vincent Township officials unanimously rejected a controversial 1.9-million-square-foot data center proposed for the historic Pennhurst State School and Hospital site. The decision capped months of resident campaigning.
A request to rezone nearly 1,000 acres of farmland from agricultural to industrial — to enable a Talen Energy gas plant expansion and adjacent data center campus — was unanimously denied by the county after sustained community opposition.
After rejecting Highlander SM One's bid to annex 200 acres for a $1.5B hyperscale campus in February, the San Marcos City Council voted 4–3 on June 16, 2026 to write data centers out of its zoning code entirely — making them ineligible anywhere in city limits. State lawmakers and industry groups are threatening legal challenges, and other Texas cities have reached out to see how San Marcos plans to defend the ban.
The Tyler Planning & Zoning Commission voted 5–2 on July 7, 2026 to deny a special use permit for a proposed data center on W. Erwin St., near downtown, after resident opposition.
Douglas County commissioners voted 4–1 to deny a rezoning request that would have enabled a proposed 4.4-million-square-foot data center campus near the Interstate 20 Liberty Road exit.
After the Fauquier Planning Commission voted 4–1 this summer to recommend denial of the Gigaland campus — the second denial recommendation in 13 months, after a hearing packed with opposed residents — Gigaland withdrew its application on Aug. 17, 2026, weeks before the Board of Supervisors was due to vote. It was the developer's second withdrawal in a year. On Sept. 17 the applicants behind the separate 210-acre Remington Innovation Campus, including a sitting county supervisor, pulled their proposal hours before the Planning Commission hearing — the third Remington-area data center application withdrawn in a month.
Before a standing-room crowd of about 350 — roughly a quarter of the town — the Walls Planning Commission voted on Sept. 22, 2026 to deny rezoning about 1,200 acres of farmland to light industrial. No project was announced, but residents widely believed a data center was planned and cited noise from the nearby xAI plant in Southaven, school proximity, and a centuries-old Native American site. The Mayor and Board of Aldermen make the final decision.
When approvals go through anyway, residents are turning to the courts.
Wake Up JeffCo and four property owners filed suit in St. Louis County against the City of Festus and developer CRG, seeking to reverse the city's rezoning vote and the development agreement with the data center developer.
A judge denied a major motion from the City of Sulphur Springs in pending data center lawsuits surrounding the 1,677-acre Matrix Data Center campus, allowing the legal challenge to move forward.
Amazon agreed to a $20.5M settlement in a class action alleging an AWS data center in Eastern Oregon contributed to nitrate contamination of community drinking water. The case is being watched closely by communities considering similar projects.
Goodhue County District Judge Patrick Biren granted a temporary restraining order halting construction on a nearly 500-acre Google data center, siding with the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy's argument that the city's environmental review was inadequate and that the case would be moot once construction began. General contractor Ryan Cos. estimates the delay could cost the firm $5M or more.
The NAACP sued xAI and its energy subsidiary over 27 unpermitted gas turbines (495 MW) powering the "Colossus" data center near historically Black neighborhoods south of Memphis, alleging Clean Air Act violations. On June 15, 2026, the Trump DOJ moved to dismiss the case, arguing the turbines are critical to national security and AI operations supporting the Department of War. The case is ongoing.
Three residents filed a class-action lawsuit against Microsoft over its $7.3B Fairwater 1 facility, representing an estimated 1,000+ households within 1.5 miles. The suit alleges round-the-clock noise "like a freight train idling" from generators, chillers, and cooling towers, plus construction dust and extreme light pollution, and seeks compensatory damages and relief from the noise.
Five residents and the environmental group One Hundred Miles, represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center, sued the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority and Octans Georgia, an OpenAI affiliate, on Sept. 21, 2026. They allege the authority did public business in private and gave inadequate notice before its July vote on a $20B, ~1,440-acre data center near Rincon that comes with a 50% property tax break — and ask the court to throw out the deals.
Before lawsuits or moratoria, residents are gathering, signing, and speaking up.
After learning of a 500-acre data center proposed on prime Mercer County farmland — a project that could use 110M gallons of water per year — more than 1,700 residents signed a petition opposing it, with hundreds gathering at public meetings.
Residents of the town of Alabama, NY have packed public meetings to raise concerns about Stream Data Centers' proposed $19.4B / 2.2M sq ft campus at the STAMP industrial park — including the ~$1.4B in tax subsidies on offer.
Plans for Kevin O'Leary's 9-gigawatt "Stratos Project" — which would draw more than twice the state's current electricity use — have galvanized a rural Utah protest movement, drawing national attention.
Residents from Lebanon's Meta LEAP zone — a $10B / 1 GW / 1,500-acre campus already breaking ground — joined neighbors from across Indiana in pressing Sen. Braun and state lawmakers to regulate the rapidly expanding industry. Indiana now has 456 community reports across multiple emerging hotspots.
Sulphur Springs (Hopkins County) has produced 402 community reports — by far the largest cluster in Erin's inbox — driven by the 1,677-acre Matrix Data Center campus. Residents have packed council meetings, filed multiple lawsuits, and won a key motion to keep the legal challenge moving forward in 2026.
The Tom Green County (San Angelo) Commissioners Court unanimously adopted a resolution calling on Texas to strengthen statewide data center regulation around water, the electric grid, and infrastructure impact.
To win over opponents of Project Hazelnut — a 300 MW, 15-building hyperscale campus on about 1,300 acres — NorthPoint Development has offered $45 million split equally among roughly 4,500 eligible households, paid only if officials approve the first building. Many residents called it a bribe and say $10,000 doesn't cover the hit to their property values. Opposition has already pushed back the developer's timeline.
On Sept. 30, 2026, Rep. Jamie Raskin, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, opened an inquiry into how Amazon, Google, Meta, and Oracle use nondisclosure agreements to keep local officials from telling residents about water use, power demand, and tax breaks. Two days later Amazon said it "no longer used nondisclosure agreements with government agencies" and pledged $1B over five years to host communities — following Microsoft, which dropped such NDAs earlier this year.
Bills, laws, and legislative efforts at the state and federal level aimed at regulating, pausing, or governing the AI data center buildout. Community pressure is translating into binding policy — here's where it stands.
These bills have been signed by governors and are now law. They represent the first wave of binding data center regulation in the U.S.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed seven bills on Sept. 21, 2026. AB 2383, SB 886, and SB 1168 keep the cost of new generation and grid upgrades for large data centers from being shifted onto other ratepayers. AB 1577 creates a state registry of data center operators. AB 2469 and AB 2619 require developers to disclose projected water demand, supply, and efficiency as a condition of local approval. SB 887 defines data centers statewide and makes most private projects ineligible for CEQA's categorical exemptions, so they get full environmental review.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed the Data Center Fair Share act (S731/A796) on July 7, 2026, creating a rate structure that makes large data centers pay for their own energy and grid infrastructure and cut use during peak demand before households do. On Aug. 27 she signed the End Data Center Tax Credits Act, which eliminates the $250M in uncommitted Next New Jersey data center credits (CoreWeave's existing award stands), and a bill requiring data centers to report their energy and water use to the state.
Virginia's budget standoff over its data center sales tax exemption — the nation's largest — ended in compromise. The exemption survives, but the budget Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed on June 30, 2026 adds a first-of-its-kind tax of 1.1 cents per kilowatt-hour on electricity data centers consume, from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028, capped at $600M a year — up to $1.2B over two years.
Prohibits utilities from passing data center infrastructure costs to residential ratepayers. Requires large-scale data centers consuming 100,000+ gallons/day to use reclaimed water for cooling when feasible. Preserves local government authority to impose stricter zoning standards or deny projects outright. Effective July 1, 2026.
Requires the Corporation Commission to ensure large data centers bear the full cost of grid infrastructure upgrades needed to serve them — costs cannot be shifted to residential or small-business ratepayers. Passed unanimously in both chambers. Includes an emergency clause; effective July 2026.
Directs state agencies and the University of Maryland School of Business to study how large-scale data centers affect electricity demand, water resources, infrastructure costs, and local economies. Governor Moore vetoed it citing cost ($502K); the legislature overrode the veto unanimously in the Senate. Study due September 2026.
Clarifies that large customers including data centers must meet the same Clean Energy Transformation Act deadlines as utilities. Beginning 2031, qualifying facilities must certify at least 80% of annual energy is renewable or non-emitting (rising to 100% by 2046). Utilities serving these facilities must develop dedicated tariffs by October 1, 2026, and the UTC sets compliance reporting.
Tucked into the $18.29B bipartisan budget signed by Gov. Katie Hobbs, this bars the Arizona Commerce Authority from accepting new data center sales tax exemption applications from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029 — the longest such pause of any state. Existing recipients are unaffected. Lawmakers estimate ~$38M/year in savings. Hobbs had vetoed an earlier GOP budget that kept the exemption.
Requires data centers with 10 MW+ peak demand to pay for any increase in electricity rates they cause rather than passing costs to residential customers, adds water-usage regulations, and bars the state from preempting local data center ordinances. Gov. Rhoden signed it alongside HB 1038; competing bills for a moratorium and for tax-incentive lures both failed this session.
These bills cleared both legislative chambers and now await executive action. A signature makes them law; a veto sends them back — or kills them.
Passed the Senate 44–16 and the Assembly 102–39 in the final hours of the 2026 session. Would pause new environmental permits for data centers drawing 20 MW or more for one year while the state develops comprehensive regulations. Hochul has until Dec. 31 to sign, veto, or amend it. She instead signed her own executive order in July pausing permits for larger (50 MW+) facilities (see Executive Actions below), and as of early October had not acted on this bill.
Governors have blocked several bills — in some cases over carve-outs for specific projects, in others over cost or economic development concerns.
Would have been the first statewide data center moratorium in U.S. history. Passed the Democratic-majority legislature with strong support. Gov. Mills vetoed April 24, 2026 — she had sought an exception for a $550M facility planned in Jay, but an amendment exempting that project failed. The House voted 72–65 to override, falling short of the two-thirds threshold needed.
Would have required large data centers to sign utility contracts insulating other ratepayers from costs, curtail power use during grid emergencies, undergo extra site analysis, and pay into Vermont climate initiatives. Passed with tripartisan supermajorities (Senate 26–3, near-unanimous House voice vote). Gov. Phil Scott vetoed it May 28, 2026, citing existing Act 250 and PUC authority; the House override failed 83–52 on May 29 (90 needed).
Not all bills make it. These died in committee, failed floor votes, or were pulled as sessions ended — but many signal what's coming in the next cycle.
Would have required cumulative environmental impact assessments, public notice, community benefits agreements, Water Impact Permits, annual water and energy reporting, and energy code compliance for hyperscale data centers. Failed to advance before the Illinois General Assembly session ended despite backing from environmental groups.
SB 102 would have required data centers to use renewable energy and protect ratepayers; after amendment to add tax incentives, sponsor pulled it and it was postponed indefinitely. HB 1030, backed by environmentalists, was voted down 11–2 in the House Energy and Environment Committee. Colorado ended the session with no data center regulation passed.
After investigative reporting revealed at least four Wisconsin communities had signed nondisclosure agreements with data center developers, Sen. André Jacque introduced a ban that cleared the Senate Utilities Committee 4–1. The full Legislature ended its 2025–26 session without passing the bill or any other data center legislation.
Would have prohibited local elected officials from signing nondisclosure agreements with data center developers. Had bipartisan sponsorship and passed a Senate committee. Stalled on a tie vote in the House Judiciary Committee in April 2026 after Republican opposition and lobbying by business groups arguing NDAs are necessary for economic development.
Sen. Rosemary Brown offered her statewide hyperscale-data-center moratorium (SB 1359) as an amendment to SB 1345, but the Local Government Committee rejected it 2–9 amid concerns it was unconstitutional and stripped local decision-making authority.
Would have required operators of AI data centers to file quarterly energy and water reports with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and directed the commissioner to set efficiency standards. It reached the Senate calendar in the 2025 session but was never enacted. A successor bill is before the Energy and Technology Committee.
Industry incentives rather than safeguards: both bills would have taxed data center servers at salvage value instead of assessed value, shrinking the tax base that host counties rely on for schools and roads. Neither advanced. The state treasurer has pushed for more local control over data center deals.
Legislation introduced or advancing in 2026 legislative sessions. Status changes rapidly — check sources for latest movement.
Introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Would impose a nationwide pause on constructing or upgrading data centers drawing 20 MW or more until "strong national safeguards" on environment, energy, labor, and civil liberties are established. No committee vote yet.
Several companion bills require AI data centers to submit energy usage plans to the Board of Public Utilities, demonstrate clean energy sourcing, and disclose water consumption. A4710, the "Clean Energy AI Incentivization Act," would direct BPU incentives toward clean-powered facilities. Bills are in various committee stages.
Advanced out of the Senate Local Government Committee, SB 1345 would give municipalities the option to impose an 18-month pause on new and pending data center applications so they can revise zoning ordinances covering power, water, noise, and setbacks — without a statewide mandate.
Would create a permitting framework specifically for data centers that develop their own dedicated power generation, removing them from some standard utility interconnection queues. Aimed at reducing grid strain while enabling continued buildout — critics argue it benefits developers over communities.
Some governors have moved on data centers through executive directives and budget vetoes rather than waiting on bills — pausing tax incentives or ordering regulators to shield ratepayers.
On June 10, 2026, Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Public Utility Commission and ERCOT to require data centers to fully fund the electric infrastructure needed to serve them, keeping those costs off residential bills. The PUC responded July 17 with rules — expected to be final by December — requiring large loads to post financial security and start paying transmission charges before they begin operating. On Aug. 3 Abbott went further: no more data centers may advance through ERCOT's interconnection process until a statewide audit verifies each project's power, water, and public-subsidy figures. ERCOT faces about 474 GW of connection requests, roughly 90% of them from data centers, and noncompliant projects are to be denied a grid connection.
Gov. JB Pritzker directed the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to suspend state tax incentives for new data center developments starting July 1, 2026 — a two-year pause. He urged lawmakers to adopt further restrictions during the fall veto session, including residential ratepayer protections and water permitting requirements.
Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order on July 14, 2026 pausing new environmental permits for data centers of 50 MW or more for up to one year while the state develops a regulatory framework — making New York the first state with any statewide data center moratorium in effect. This executive action is separate from the legislature's own one-year, 20 MW+ moratorium bill (S10642/A11560, passed June 4), which Hochul still had not signed, vetoed, or amended as of early October.
Gov. Josh Shapiro signed Executive Order 2026-05 on Aug. 18, 2026. Data centers over 25 MW must commit to his Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) requirements in a binding consent order — local approval before DEP will review permits, no nondisclosure agreements, paying their own grid-upgrade costs, and bringing their own power with a renewables target. Projects that refuse lose fast-track permitting and risk the state's data center sales tax exemption. It is not a moratorium.
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