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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The measure passed both houses of the state legislature on Tuesday. It now heads to Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME) for her signature. Whether she will approve the legislation remains unclear.
The bill could get a veto from the governor, who failed to convince lawmakers about adding an exemption to the text. Her request concerned a planned data center that would have replaced a former paper mill. Lawmakers rejected that exemption in the final bill.
If Mills signs the moratorium into law, Maine will become the first state to ban data center construction. Bangor, the state’s third-largest city, already passed a six-month ban on data centers this week.
Local jurisdictions elsewhere have also taken similar steps. In Wisconsin, voters in the small town of Port Washington approved a ballot measure last week to give themselves greater control over local tax incentives used in the development of a large data center.
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Many have raised concerns about the impact that data centers would have on residents’ electric bills and the environment.
Meanwhile, other states are rapidly moving to build more data centers. Virginia and Texas are currently in the lead with the most data centers, while Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Illinois are among other states that are likewise prioritizing their development.
