Maine lawmakers pass first-in-nation temporary statewide ban on data centers

Published April 14, 2026 10:17pm ET | Updated April 14, 2026 10:17pm ET



Maine’s state legislature passed a temporary statewide ban on data centers, the first of its kind in the nation, as opposition to the electricity-consuming technology infrastructure designed to power artificial intelligence grows.

The legislation effectively blocks new data centers from being built in the Pine Tree State until fall 2027 and paves the way for a study on the infrastructure’s impact on the electrical grid.

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