Moratorium Tracker Update, October 12, 2026: States and Localities Weigh Data Center Regulations

The U.S. Data Center Moratorium Tracker was refreshed on October 12, 2026. This is the record of what changed since the previous refresh on October 5, 2026. Every entry below links to the primary source behind it.

Local governments and state legislatures across the U.S. are considering or enacting measures to regulate data center development, reflecting concerns about infrastructure, environmental impact, and community planning.

Featured in this update

Sioux Falls: Temporary Moratorium on Data Center Building Permits

A citizen coalition has called for a temporary moratorium on data center building permits in Sioux Falls. The proposal seeks new ordinances before the Gemini Project can apply for building permits. No formal council action has been reported. The effort aims to ensure updated regulations guide future development. Source

Durbin Township: Moratorium on Data Centers Under Consideration

The Durbin Township Board is considering a moratorium on data centers. Discussions followed talks with Geronimo Power about potential development. A special meeting was held on October 7, 2026, and a follow-up is scheduled for October 14, 2026. No final decision has been made. Source

Harmony Township: Moratorium Review Pauses Data Center Permit Process

The Harmony Township Board began reviewing a potential moratorium on data centers in September 2026. The review follows a conditional use permit application by Geronimo Power. No action will be taken on the application while the moratorium is considered. The board is reviewing recent ordinance changes. Source

Indiana: Large-Load Tariff Requires Data Centers to Reimburse Grid Costs

Indiana enacted House Enrolled Act 1007 in 2025. The law requires large-load customers, including data centers, to reimburse at least 80% of grid upgrade costs. The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approved a related tariff settlement in February 2025. Major tech companies participated in the settlement. Source

Illinois: Governor Proposes POWER Act for Data Center Regulation

Governor JB Pritzker urged lawmakers to pass the POWER Act after the 2026 election. The bill would require data centers to bring their own power and water and follow environmental protections. It does not include a moratorium. The bill was discussed in the spring but not enacted. Source

Where the count stands

Of the 49 states with a state-level measure on the tracker, 35 have a restriction in force, 0 are under an active administrative pause, 9 have a measure pending, and 5 saw their most advanced measure fail or be vetoed.

Newly verified state measures from earlier periods

These actions were taken before this reporting period and were added once a primary source was confirmed. They are research gains, not new activity.

• Illinois, POWER Act: Protecting Our Water, Energy, and Ratepayers Act. Governor JB Pritzker urged Illinois lawmakers to pass the POWER Act in the next legislative session after the November 2026 election; the bill was worked on in the spring but not enacted, and Pritzker emphasized it would require data centers to bring their own power and water and adhere to environmental protections, without imposing a moratorium. Source
• Indiana, House Enrolled Act 1007: Large-load tariff and grid cost reimbursement requirements for data centers. The Indiana General Assembly enacted House Enrolled Act 1007 in 2025, requiring large-load customers—including hyperscale data centers—to reimburse at least 80% of grid upgrade costs triggered by their arrival, with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission having approved a related tariff settlement in February 2025 among I&M, the Citizens Action Coalition, and Amazon, Microsoft, and Google. Source
• New Hampshire, SB 439: Moratorium on AI data centers. New Hampshire Senate Republicans, led by Senate President Sharon Carson, announced on September 18, 2026, their intent to pursue legislation for a moratorium on AI data centers; this follows Governor Kelly Ayotte’s public support for such a moratorium and comes after two new data center proposals were announced in the capital region. Source

New local measures this period

• Petersburg, AK: Borough-wide moratorium on data centers using on-site power generation. Vice Mayor Jeigh Stanton Gregor will ask the Petersburg Borough Assembly on Monday, October 4, 2026, to begin work on a borough-wide moratorium preventing data centers that use on-site power generation; the assembly had previously deadlocked 3-3 on a related Planning Commission recommendation on September 21, 2026. Source
• Siloam Springs, AR: First reading of data center ordinance. The Siloam Springs City Board approved the first reading of a data center ordinance on October 9, 2026, as part of exploring development proposals while weighing a potential moratorium. Source
• Colorado Springs, CO: Four-year data center moratorium ballot initiative. Organizers in Colorado Springs, including members of the Democratic Socialists of America, are gathering signatures for a ballot initiative to impose a four-year moratorium on new data centers using more than 10 megawatts of power or 200,000 gallons of water per day; the initiative aims to appear on the April 2027 municipal ballot but must submit signatures by December 7, 2026. Source
• Grand Junction, CO: One-Year Moratorium on Data Center Developments. The Grand Junction City Council unanimously voted to schedule a public hearing for a one-year moratorium on data center developments on October 21, 2026. The draft ordinance would prohibit the city from accepting, reviewing, or approving data center applications and bar pre-application activities related to such projects. The moratorium has not yet taken effect and is not retroactive. Source
• Blaine County, ID: Emergency Moratorium on Data Center Development Permits. The Blaine County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a 182-day emergency moratorium on the issuance of development permits for data centers on Tuesday, October 7, 2026, citing imminent threats to public health, safety, and welfare due to environmental impacts including high water and energy consumption. Source
• Frederick, MD: Two-year moratorium on data center legislation amendments. Frederick City Council members and residents debated a proposed two-year moratorium on data center-related amendments to the land management code, introduced by Council Member Derek Shackelford; the ordinance would prevent the city from moving forward on such amendments and includes a clause allowing extensions as needed. Source
• Lawrence Township, NJ: Ordinance to Prohibit Data Centers Townshipwide. Lawrence Township Council unanimously introduced an ordinance on October 5, 2026, that would prohibit data centers throughout the township by amending land use regulations to define and expressly ban their establishment and operation in all zoning districts. Source
• South Bristol, NY: Proposed ban on constructing data centers and AI computing facilities. The South Bristol town board will hold a public hearing on Monday, October 12, 2026, over a proposed ban on constructing data centers or artificial intelligence computing facilities; the proposal aims to restrict such facilities pending further local review amid New York State’s year-long pause on large data center construction. Source
• West Seneca, NY: One-Year Moratorium on Data Centers. The West Seneca Town Board passed a one-year moratorium on data centers on October 4, 2026, voting 4-0 in favor; the moratorium expires at the end of August 2027, and was implemented to allow time to develop standards addressing energy, water usage, and noise concerns. Source
• Durbin Township, ND: Moratorium on data centers. The Durbin Township Board is considering a moratorium on data centers following discussions with Geronimo Power about potential development; a special meeting was held on October 7, 2026, and a follow-up meeting is scheduled for October 14, 2026, to consider the measure. Source
• Oakland Township, PA: Data Center Ordinance. Oakland Township supervisors are considering a data center ordinance drafted by township solicitor Tom Smith; it is expected to be advertised and voted on by early 2027, pending review by the planning commission and Butler County Planning Commission. Source
• Ransom Twp., PA: Ordinance regulating data center development. Ransom Township supervisors enacted an ordinance regulating data center development on October 6, 2026, limiting projects to industrial zones, imposing height and lot area limits, and requiring conditional use approval with specific environmental and operational criteria. Source
• Sioux Falls, SD: Temporary moratorium on data center building permits pending new ordinances. A citizen coalition—including Let Sioux Falls Vote, South Dakota for Data Center Transparency, and Dakota Rural Action—formally called on the Sioux Falls mayor and city council to enact a temporary moratorium on building permits for large-scale data centers until new ordinances are in place. The coalition emphasized that the Gemini Project, though having rezoned its land, had not yet applied for or received building permits and could do so imminently. No vote or formal action by the city council was reported in the article. Source

Newly verified local measures from earlier periods

These actions were taken before this reporting period and were added once a primary source was confirmed. They are research gains, not new activity.

• Lexington, KY: Temporary ban on data center construction. The Lexington city council voted to move forward with potential data center regulations and also a temporary ban, or moratorium, on data center construction in the city through October 2027. Source
• Butte-Silver Bow, MT: Temporary Data Center Moratorium. The Butte-Silver Bow County Council of Commissioners directed County Attorney Matt Enrooth to draft a temporary data center moratorium in early September; the judiciary committee began reviewing the draft on Sept. 23 and voted to put it on hold pending a Montana Supreme Court ruling on a related ballot initiative appeal. Source
• Harmony Township, ND: Moratorium on data centers. The Harmony Township Board voted to begin the process of considering a moratorium on data centers on Sept. 22, 2026, one week after Geronimo Power submitted a conditional use permit application for the Harmony Energy Park data center campus. The board is reviewing recent ordinance changes made while former board chair Tom Roden was in office, and no action will likely be taken on the application while the moratorium review is ongoing. Source
• Warren, OH: One-Year Moratorium on Data Centers Larger Than 1,000 Square Feet. Warren City Council unanimously approved a one-year moratorium on data center projects larger than 1,000 square feet during its first meeting after the August break on September 9, 2026; the legislation establishes a Data Center Review Committee to study the issue and report recommendations within nine months. Source
• Newtown Township, PA: Proposed Data Center Ordinance. Newtown Township is considering a proposed data center ordinance to regulate future data center development; the Planning Commission unanimously recommended the ordinance, which will next be reviewed by the Delaware County Planning Department before going to the Board of Supervisors for consideration. Source

Status changes, local measures

• San Francisco, CA: Proposed to Paused. San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors approved a 45-day moratorium on approving new data centers on October 8, 2026, to allow time for studying their environmental and community impacts; the measure was sponsored by Supervisor Shamann Walton and co-sponsored by Supervisors Connie Chan, Chyanne Chen, and Jackie Fielder. Source
• Poway, CA: Proposed to In force. The Poway City Council unanimously advanced the ordinance banning standalone AI data centers, with final approval scheduled for October 6, 2024, and an effective date 30 days later. Mayor Steve Vaus emphasized the ban aligns with community interests due to lack of jobs and limited land. Source
• Alachua, FL: Proposed to Paused. The Alachua City Commission approved the first reading of a 12-month moratorium on data center development on October 6, 2026, with only one commissioner voting against it. The moratorium is set to be reconsidered for final passage on October 26, 2026. Source
• Orange County, FL: Proposed to Paused. Orange County commissioners directed staff to draft a temporary moratorium ordinance on new large-scale AI data center applications. The pause would apply while the county develops regulatory frameworks and evaluates environmental and community impacts. Source
• Evansville, IN: Proposed to In force. The Evansville City Council approved a moratorium on data center development. The moratorium was adopted by a vote of 8-1. It is intended to allow time for the city to study the impacts of data centers and develop appropriate zoning regulations. Source
• Columbus County, NC: Proposed to Paused. Columbus County commissioners unanimously approved a 120-day moratorium on certain data center development outside municipal limits and surrounding planning areas, giving officials time to study impacts on utilities, natural resources, and surrounding properties. The pause applies to high-intensity data processing facilities meeting specific thresholds, and will suspend processing of permits, site plans, and zoning compliance certificates during the period. Source
• Raleigh, NC: Proposed to In force. Raleigh City Council voted 7-1 on October 5, 2026, to impose a six-month moratorium on approvals for certain large-scale data centers to allow time for studying the industry’s impacts on utilities, environment, and communities. The pause began immediately and is set to expire in April 2027, with new regulations expected to be finalized by then. Source
• Memphis, TN: Proposed to Paused. The Memphis City Council voted 7-5 on October 6, 2026, to postpone a vote on a proposed 12-month data center moratorium, effectively pausing consideration of the measure until October 20. Council members and residents expressed concerns about the impact of data centers, particularly those developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX and xAI, on the community and infrastructure. Source
• Brownsville, TX: Proposed to In force. The Brownsville City Commission unanimously approved a 90-day moratorium on artificial intelligence data centers during its special meeting on October 12, 2026; the moratorium is scheduled to take effect November 5, pending a second and final reading at the November 4 special meeting, and may be extended for an additional 90 days pending Environmental Task Force review. Source

Removals

No entries were removed. The tracker merges forward: a sourced entry stays on the list unless a new source shows its status changed or it was formally repealed.

How this tracker is maintained

The tracker is refreshed weekly. Every entry requires a verifiable primary source: a legislature page, a governor’s office, a local government record, or established news reporting. Entries are merged rather than replaced, so a measure verified in an earlier week is not dropped because a later pass did not resurface it. Where a measure is single-sourced or a date could not be independently confirmed, the entry says so.

The full dataset, with a filterable map and all 1363 citations, is at the U.S. Data Center Moratorium Tracker. The complete source list is at the tracker’s sources page.