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Nation's first state moratorium on data centers vetoed by Maine's ...
PORTLAND, Maine — Maine's Democratic governor on Friday vetoed what would have been the country's first state moratorium on the construction of data centers.The bill passed by the Democrat-controlled state legislature would have instituted a moratorium for more than a year on data centers above a certain size and created a special council to help towns vet potential projects. But Gov. Janet Mills said she vetoed the bill because it failed to include a carve out for a project in the town of Jay that would bring needed jobs to a community that has struggled since the closure of a local mill.Proposals to impose a moratorium on data centers have been introduced in at least a dozen states, but other than Maine’s, none had even passed a legislative chamber. Such bills have faced opposition from data center developers, chambers of commerce, tech giants, labor unions and electric utilities.Mills said she plans to issue an executive order to create a council to examine the impact of data centers.“I believe it necessary and important to examine and plan for the potential impacts of large-scale data centers in Maine, as the use of artificial intelligence becomes more widespread. Given the serious conversations about data centers here and around the country, I believe this work should commence without delay,” she said in a statement.A handful of counties and municipalities in the U.S. have imposed a moratorium, and opponents of moratoriums at the state level say municipal officials are best suited to decide whether to allow a data center in their towns or not.Mills' decision to veto the Maine moratorium drew backlash from her own party, including from the Democratic state representative who sponsored the bill and from groups that encourage a conservative approach to data centers. Rep. Melanie Sachs, the bill sponsor, said in a statement that the governor is “resisting the will of a majority of Maine people” with the veto.“While a veto might protect the proposed data center project in Jay, it poses significant potential consequences for all ratepayers, our electric grid, our environment, and our shared energy future. This decision is simply wrong,” Sachs said.Resistance to data center proposals has risen swiftly in many communities amid high-level support for artificial intelligence, tech firms and the data centers they are building. President Donald Trump’s administration and many governors tout them as a top economic and national security priority that are essential ...
Maine Governor Vetoes Bill to Temporarily Ban Data Centers
This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/us-news/maine-governor-vetoes-bill-to-temporarily-ban-data-centers-9a9af743Gov. Janet Mills vetoed a bill Friday that would have made Maine the first U.S. state to temporarily ban data-center construction. The majority Democratic Maine state legislature passed a bill this month to pause large data-center projects until November of 2027. Copyright ©2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8Further ReadingVideosMost Popular NewsMost PopularOPINIONFurther Reading
Maine Governor Mills Vetoes Statewide Data Center Moratorium
Maine Governor Janet Mills vetoed what would have been the first statewide freeze on large data center development, saying it would hurt a part of Maine in need of an economic boost.
Maine governor blocks first US state freeze on new data centers
The Democratic governor of Maine, Janet Mills, on Friday vetoed a bill that would have made it the first U.S. state to impose a moratorium on large new data centers, even as local opposition to ...
