Maine Data Center Moratorium Tracker
Maine has 2 state-level data-center restrictions in force. 24 city and county measures are tracked here, 16 of them in force. Every entry below links to its primary source: a legislature page, a governor's office, a local government, or the reporting of record.
Maine
ME
In force
5
State-level measures on record, 2 in force
24
City and county measures, 16 in force
26
Primary sources cited on this page
#23
of 50 states with anything on record, by measure count
State-level measures in Maine
Every statewide moratorium, pause, siting restriction, or tax-incentive rollback in Maine we can verify against a primary source. Strongest status first.
| Measure | Status | What it does | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| LD 713Data centers excluded from state tax incentive programs | In force 2026-04 | Signed by Gov. Mills on April 23, 2026. Defines data centers and excludes them from the Business Equipment Tax Exemption and the Dirigo Business Incentives Program, and directs the Department of Economic and Community Development to study financial incentives for data centers. Signed the day before Mills vetoed LD 307, the temporary moratorium bill. | |
| MaineMaine: Governor Janet Mills SIGNED LD 713 on April 24, 2026, prohibiting data center projects from Maine's business development tax incentive programs. | In force 2026-04 | Governor Janet Mills SIGNED LD 713 on April 24, 2026, prohibiting data center projects from Maine's business development tax incentive programs. The law bars data centers from eligibility under the state's Business Equipment Tax Exemption (BETE) for facilities beginning operations on or after July 1, 2026, and excludes data centers from the Dirigo business incentives program. Maine's Department of Economic and Community Development must study other potential financial incentives for data centers and report by November 4, 2026. Mills signed LD 713 on the same day she vetoed LD 307. | |
| LD 307Maine Data Center Coordination Council; temporary limitation on data centers | Failed / vetoed 2026-04 | An 18-month moratorium on permits and construction of 20 MW+ data centers until Nov 1, 2027; Gov. Mills vetoed it Apr 24 seeking a project exemption, and the override failed (House 72-65) Apr 29. | |
| Vetoed statewide moratorium on data centersVetoed statewide moratorium on data centers | Failed / vetoed 2026-04 | LD 307 would have paused 20+ MW facilities to Nov 2027; governor vetoed. The measure has no documented term. | |
| Maine (statewide)Maine: Governor Janet Mills VETOED LD 307 on April 24, 2026, "An Act to Establish the Maine Data Center Coordination Council and Place a Temporary Limitation | Failed / vetoed 2026-04 | Governor Janet Mills VETOED LD 307 on April 24, 2026, "An Act to Establish the Maine Data Center Coordination Council and Place a Temporary Limitation on Certain Data Centers." The bill would have made Maine the first state with a statewide moratorium on new data centers using 20+ MW, freezing approvals through November 1, 2027. Mills cited the bill's failure to exempt a $550M data center project at the former Androscoggin Mill in Jay. The legislature passed LD 307 on April 14 by 79-62 in the House and 21-13 in the Senate, falling short of the two-thirds majority needed for an override. Mills said she will issue an executive order creating a council to study data center impacts. |
City and county moratoria in Maine
Most of the movement is local, where a building pause or permit halt does not need a legislative session. 24 tracked measures in Maine, each with its source.
Bangor
2026-09
Data center moratorium, extended six months in September 2026
The Bangor City Council passed a 180-day moratorium on data center development 9-0 on April 13, 2026. In late September 2026 the council unanimously extended the moratorium for another six months to give city staff time to draft regulations, as reported September 29, 2026.
Brunswick
2026-06
Town moratorium on data centers through November 29, 2026
180-day moratorium on data centers >= 1 MW; unanimous vote; stricter than vetoed state bill (20 MW threshold). The measure runs to November 29, 2026 and applies at a threshold of 1 MW.
City of Westbrook (180-day data center moratorium enacted), ME
2026-06
City of Westbrook (180-day data center moratorium enacted), ME data center moratorium
On June 1, 2026, the Westbrook City Council unanimously approved a 180-day data center moratorium; the planning board will review the land-use ordinance and report back. It is part of a Maine wave (Sanford, Gorham, Brunswick, Scarborough) responding to Gov. Mills’s April veto of a statewide pause.
Dover-Foxcroft
2026-09
180-day moratorium on data center applications
The Dover-Foxcroft Select Board had been considering a six-month ban on large-scale data center development. On Monday, Sept. 28, 2026 the board passed a resolution temporarily banning data center applications and projects for 180 days while the town reviews its ordinances.
Eastport
2026-08
Moratorium on the DeepGreen underwater data center proposal
The City Council voted unanimously on Aug. 14, 2026 to adopt a temporary moratorium covering the proposed DeepGreen Holdings subsea data center in the Bay of Fundy. Following a special public hearing on Aug. 24 on citizen-initiated ordinances, the Planning Board unanimously recommended a permanent ban on data centers across all zoning districts; the council takes up that recommendation at a special meeting on Sept. 9, 2026.
Ellsworth
2026-08
Local moratorium on data centers through February 13, 2027
180-day moratorium approved 4-1; preemptive, no data center inquiries received. Gives city time to study impacts and develop recommendations. Part of wave of Maine municipal moratoriums after governor vetoed statewide DC moratorium in April. The measure runs to February 13, 2027.
Gorham
2026-01
Local moratorium on data centers through November 29, 2026
Town Council voted 7-0 for 180-day moratorium on data center development; extendable another 180 days. Council later voted (Sep 4) to consider permanent ban. The measure runs to November 29, 2026.
Lewiston
2025-12
City council rejection of proposed data center
The City Council unanimously voted down a proposed data center project in December 2025.
Paris
2026-09
180-day moratorium on data center development
The Paris Select Board voted unanimously on September 28, 2026 to approve a 180-day moratorium on data center development. The board also directed the Planning Board to develop an ordinance prohibiting data centers.
Saco
2026-08
Temporary data center moratorium, extended 60 days
The Saco City Council enacted a 61-day data center moratorium in August 2026. On September 28, 2026 the council voted to extend it for another 60 days, and it is now set to expire November 28.
Sanford
2026-08
Local moratorium on data centers through January 31, 2027
91-day emergency moratorium enacted May 19, 2026, halting a proposed Mousam River data center project; extended unanimously for 180 more days on Aug 5, 2026. The measure runs to January 31, 2027.
Town of Brunswick (180-day data center moratorium), ME
2026-06
Town of Brunswick (180-day data center moratorium), ME data center moratorium
On June 1, 2026 the Brunswick, Maine Town Council unanimously approved a 180-day moratorium (through ~Dec 2026) on processing applications for new or expanded data centers with electrical demand of 1 MW or greater, to study impacts and draft regulations. It followed Gov. Mills's April 2026 veto of statewide moratorium bill LD 307 and a failed override; Brunswick joins Westbrook and Scarborough among Maine towns enacting local pauses.
Town of Scarborough (180-day data center moratorium enacted), ME
2026-06
Town of Scarborough (180-day data center moratorium enacted), ME data center moratorium
On June 3, 2026, the Scarborough Town Council unanimously approved a 180-day data center moratorium, retroactive to April 1, halting a ~52-acre data center proposal submitted in April and giving the town time to revise zoning.
Town of Warren (180-day data center moratorium)
2026-07
Town of Warren (180-day data center moratorium) data center moratorium
A special town meeting approved a 180-day data center moratorium in near-unanimous fashion, with about 60 residents attending -- nearly double normal turnout -- and the moratorium is renewable in further 180-day increments. No data center applications have been filed in Warren; the vote was preemptive, citing concerns about water and power use and potential river-temperature impacts.
Westbrook
2026-06
City moratorium on data centers through November 28, 2026
180-day moratorium on siting, permitting, construction and operation of data centers regardless of MW; unanimous vote. The measure runs to November 28, 2026.
Wiscasset
2025-11
Wiscasset data center moratorium
Wiscasset Selectboard voted in November 2025 to pause conversations about a $5B data center on town-owned land along the Back River after resident Richard Davis launched 'Protect Wiscasset,' a grassroots campaign. Little information about the end user, utility usage, or power source had been disclosed after the project was first revealed on September 16, 2025, alarming residents. The selectboard is developing a transparent evaluation process with no established timeline for completion. The project involves 300 acres.
Biddeford
2026-09
Proposed city moratorium on data centers with no end date
Planning Board unanimously recommended permanent ban on data centers; City Council voted 8-1 Jun 3 to advance amendments; final Council vote expected November. Would prohibit data centers in all zoning districts. The measure has no end date by design.
Bucksport
2026-09
Proposed 180-day moratorium on commercial data centers
The Bucksport Town Council voted at its September 24, 2026 meeting to advance a proposed 180-day moratorium on commercial data centers, with one councilor opposed. The proposed ordinance moves to a second reading and public hearing on October 8, 2026.
Buxton
2026-09
Proposed 180-day data center moratorium, special town meeting
Buxton is considering a 180-day data center moratorium that voters would decide at a special town meeting. As of September 29, 2026 the Select Board expected to set the meeting for October 7 or October 14.
North Berwick
Proposed local moratorium on data centers
Select Board placed a permanent data center ban (facilities ≥25,000 sq ft) on the November 2026 ballot as a zoning amendment. Skipped a moratorium step; voters will decide. The measure has no documented term and applies at a threshold of 25,000 sq ft.
Old Town (Penobscot County)
2026-09
Proposed six-month data center moratorium
The Old Town City Council voted unanimously on September 8, 2026 to continue the process toward a proposed 180-day moratorium on data centers. A special council meeting was set for September 21, 2026, and the measure must be discussed at two more meetings before the council can approve it. Councilors also discussed a possible referendum on a permanent ordinance change in 2027.
Peru
2026-09
Proposed 180-day data center moratorium (November ballot)
The Selectboard approved placing a 180-day moratorium on data center construction before voters in November 2026.
Sabattus (Androscoggin County)
2026-07
Proposed temporary data center moratorium
The Sabattus Select Board voted to call a special town meeting for residents to vote on a data center moratorium while the Planning Board drafts an ordinance; no meeting date was set. The board vote was Tuesday, July 21, 2026 (article dated July 22). No result of a town meeting vote was found.
Scarborough
2026-09
Scarborough takes step towards zoning out data centers
The town of Scarborough is considering a zoning proposal aimed at regulating data centers. The action was reported on September 17, 2026.
Where Maine stands
Across the whole tracker we hold 334 state-level measures in 49 states and 1253 city and county measures, against 1419 primary sources. Maine accounts for 5 of the state-level measures and 24 of the local ones.
By total measures on record it is #23 of the 50 states and DC carrying any tracked action, and #20 by city and county measures alone. Ranking is by count of sourced entries in this dataset, so it measures documented activity, not the size of the buildout.
Sources for Maine
26 citations behind the entries above. Each opens in a new tab.
- Statewide · LD 713 — Data centers excluded from state tax incentive programs mainesenate.org →
- Statewide · Maine — 2 separate measures, cited together maine.gov →
- Statewide · LD 307 — Maine Data Center Coordination Council; temporary limitation on data centers maine.gov →
- Statewide · Vetoed statewide moratorium on data centers — Vetoed statewide moratorium on data centers rockinst.org →
- Bangor — Data center moratorium, extended six months in September 2026 bangordailynews.com →
- Brunswick and 1 other locality — 2 separate measures, cited together pressherald.com →
- City of Westbrook (180-day data center moratorium enacted), ME and 1 other locality — 2 separate measures, cited together pressherald.com →
- Dover-Foxcroft — 180-day moratorium on data center applications observer-me.com →
- Eastport — Moratorium on the DeepGreen underwater data center proposal wabi.tv →
- Ellsworth — Local moratorium on data centers through February 13, 2027 ellsworthamerican.com →
- Gorham — Local moratorium on data centers through November 29, 2026 gorhamtimes.com →
- Lewiston — City council rejection of proposed data center themainemonitor.org →
- Paris — 180-day moratorium on data center development yahoo.com →
- Saco — Temporary data center moratorium, extended 60 days pressherald.com →
- Sanford — Local moratorium on data centers through January 31, 2027 pressherald.com →
- Town of Scarborough (180-day data center moratorium enacted), ME — Town of Scarborough (180-day data center moratorium enacted), ME data center moratorium pressherald.com →
- Town of Warren (180-day data center moratorium) — Town of Warren (180-day data center moratorium) data center moratorium midcoastvillager.com →
- Wiscasset — Wiscasset data center moratorium mainemorningstar.com →
- Biddeford — Proposed city moratorium on data centers with no end date pressherald.com →
- Bucksport — Proposed 180-day moratorium on commercial data centers wabi.tv →
- Buxton — Proposed 180-day data center moratorium, special town meeting pressherald.com →
- North Berwick — Proposed local moratorium on data centers wgme.com →
- Old Town (Penobscot County) — Proposed six-month data center moratorium bangordailynews.com →
- Peru — Proposed 180-day data center moratorium (November ballot) themainewire.com →
- Sabattus (Androscoggin County) — Proposed temporary data center moratorium sunjournal.com →
- Scarborough — Scarborough takes step towards zoning out data centers news.google.com →
What does bind large loads in Maine
A moratorium is only one way a data center gets stopped. The grid operator decides whether it can connect at all, and on what terms. Maine sits in 2 footprints.
ISO-NEDominant
Little growth yet; proposing bring-your-own-generation for new large loads.
Non-RTO utility territory
No RTO or ISO market here. Interconnection terms, study queues and curtailment rights for a large load are set by the individual utility and its state commission.
Most of state ISO-NE; northern Maine (Aroostook/Washington counties) has no direct tie to ISO-NE — administered by NMISA, balanced via New Brunswick.
States next door
1 of the 1 states bordering Maine has at least one data-center measure on record. Restrictions tend to travel between neighbors, so this is usually where the next one comes from.
Data centers in Maine
The US Data Center Map identifies 12 facilities run by 5 operators in Maine, each one placed from primary sources and listed by city and by operator, with the measures on this page beside them.
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How to read this page
In force = a moratorium, siting restriction, or tax-incentive rollback that is currently enacted, by statute or executive order. Paused = a temporary hold on new incentives or applications. Proposed = introduced and still pending. Failed / vetoed = died in committee, was voted down, or was vetoed.
This page is generated from the same primary-sourced dataset as the national U.S. Data Center Moratorium Tracker and is re-checked on the same weekly cycle, whether or not anything changed. Legislative status changes quickly; it is informational, not legal advice. Spot something out of date in Maine? Tell us.
Companion references: the Data Center Grid Operator Watchlist for the interconnection and curtailment rules that bind here, the Data Center Water Tracker for water mandates, and the Data Center Delay Watchlist for named projects.
Why Maine is pushing back
The objections repeat from state to state: strain on the electric grid, water drawn for cooling, and the sense that a facility takes local resources without giving much back. SAVRN builds AI factories designed around those three objections: on-site power that does not lean on the public grid, direct-to-chip cooling that does not consume municipal water, and a training institute that puts local people to work inside the building.
See how a SAVRN factory works Talk to us about a Maine site