Data Center Moratoriums

Breaking: Maine LD 307 passed the House 82-62 and Senate 19-13 on April 6-7. It awaits final enactment votes and would be the first statewide data center moratorium in US history, banning facilities over 20 MW until November 2027. Current status: 14 states have active moratorium or restriction bills. 12 states have legislation under committee review. No state has enacted a broad data center moratorium to date. Key developments since March: • Georgia — All moratorium bills (HB 1012, SB 410, SB 408) failed after the Senate session abruptly adjourned. • Virginia — HB 1515 moratorium carried over to 2027 (dead for 2026). HB 2084 (rate classification review) was enacted. • South Dakota — SB 232 moratorium failed, but SB 135 passed, empowering local governments to regulate or ban data centers. • Federal — Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez introduced S.4214, the AI Data Center Moratorium Act, in March 2026. Bills to watch: • Maine LD 307 — Closest to enactment. Creates a Data Center Coordination Council. • New York S9144/A10141 — 3-year moratorium on 20 MW+ facilities. Stalled in committee since February. • Vermont S.205 — Moratorium on AI data centers (100 MW+) until July 2030, the longest proposed period. • Michigan HB 4521 — One-year permit moratorium. Governor Whitmer publicly opposes. Pattern: Most state moratorium bills stall in committee. Local moratoriums have gained far more traction — dozens of municipalities have enacted construction pauses independently. 17 states maintain active incentive programs with no restriction legislation.