Maine set to be the first U.S. state to pass moratorium on big data centers

[Data Center Construction]
Gerville

Maine lawmakers have passed a bill to impose a statewide data center moratorium, making it the first U.S. state to do so, amid mounting concerns over AI infrastructure's impact on the power grid and the environment.

The bill would block approvals for data centers with a load of 20 megawatts or more until late 2027, while a state-appointed council evaluates the facilities' environmental and electric grid impacts. To note, Maine's residential electricity rates are among the highest in the U.S.

The bill [https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0207&item=2&snum=132] will now head to Governor Janet ​Mills' desk for signing. "The governor agrees with lawmakers that the rapid growth of large-scale AI data centers warrants careful evaluation of impacts on public resources, the environment, and Maine ratepayers, and she supports a moratorium to ensure those impacts are fully understood," a spokesperson for Mills told local news outlet _WMTW_.

Mills believes the bill should exempt a $550M project underway at the Jay mill site, which is reusing existing industrial infrastructure and is designed to avoid new costs for ratepayers or strain the local grid, the spokesperson added.

St. Charles, Missouri last year became the first U.S. city to pass a data center moratorium. States such as Virginia, Georgia and Oklahoma are also considering imposing similar moratoriums.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) introduced [https://www.sanders.senate.gov/press-releases/news-sanders-ocasio-cortez-announce-ai-data-center-moratorium-act/] a bill in March to impose a federal moratorium on AI data centers until strong national safeguards are in place.

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