Why Maine's Governor Just Killed a Pioneering Data Center Moratorium
7 hours ago
- #data centers
- #Maine politics
- #moratorium
- Maine Gov. Janet Mills announced she would veto a bill for the state's first hyperscale data center moratorium to protect a potential data center project in Jay.
- The Data Center Coalition supported the veto, arguing a moratorium would discourage investment and deny local communities job opportunities.
- Environmental advocates criticized Mills' decision, citing concerns over electricity rates, false jobs promises, and harmful industrialization from data centers.
- Mills plans to issue an executive order to study large-scale data center impacts instead of a full moratorium.
- Mills' veto may become a political liability as she faces a primary opponent who supports the moratorium and leads in polls.
- Beyond Maine, 12 states and dozens of municipalities are considering data center moratoriums, with national proposals gaining traction.