Maine Gov. Janet Mills could sign a law that would put a moratorium on new, large data centers in the state for 1.5 years. File Photo by CJ Gunther
Maine became the first state to pass a ban on new, large data centers on Tuesday.
The bill passed both state houses and now must be signed by Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, before it becomes law.
But Mills previously asked for an exception for a data center project on an old paper mill site, but state legislators rejected it. So, it’s unclear if she will sign the bill.
The measure would block creating new data centers that use more than 20 megawatts of power until fall 2027. It will also create a way to study their effects on the power grid.
The bill also creates a coordinating council that will give recommendations on future state policies on large data centers. The council will be made up of government officials, experts and other stakeholders. It also allocates $95,000 to support that council.
Other states and municipalities are considering ways to curb data centers.
Earlier this month, Port Washington, Wis., was the first city to pass a referendum to require larger projects to seek voter approval.
Pennsylvania’s legislature is considering a bill to restrict data centers’ effects on electricity bills. The bill passed the state house but is now in the Senate.
The average new data center uses as much electricity as a city of 500,000, according to The Washington Post. Some extra-large centers that are under construction use a lot more.
“This is not a Walmart,” The Post reported state Rep. Melanie Sachs, a Democrat who sponsored the legislation, said in an interview. “Having a projected load of even two or three data centers can really impact the state as a whole.”
Data center opponents say they use too much water and electricity, driving up prices and harming the environment.
Proponents say data centers create jobs and support technological growth.
Patrick Woodcock, CEO of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, said his group sent a letter to Mills asking her to veto the bill.
“It’s not as if we don’t have a review process for these projects to begin with,” Woodcock told The Post. “There are real safeguards in place for ratepayers and the environment.”
This week in Washington
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., presents the family of Benjamin Ferencz with his Congressional Gold Medal during the Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Days of Remembrance ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday. The gold medal was presented posthumously to Ferencz, who served in the Army during World War II and prosecuted Nazi war criminals during the Nuremberg Trials. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
