Data centers are becoming a growing topic of discussion across Missouri as major technology companies invest billions of dollars in new facilities while some local governments move to slow or restrict additional development.
Google announced in May that it plans to invest $15 billion in data center-related infrastructure in New Florence, while Amazon has announced a $10 billion data center campus in Montgomery City. The projects are expected to include related infrastructure improvements, including roads and water systems.
Gov. Mike Kehoe praised Google’s planned investment, saying it reflects Missouri’s growing reputation as a destination for technology and innovation.
At the same time, several Missouri communities have taken steps to place limits on large-scale data center projects.
The St. Charles City Council voted 7-1 in May to effectively prohibit large-scale data centers within the city by making permanent a one-year moratorium. The city’s zoning code does not list data centers as either permitted or conditional uses.
In June, the Jackson County Legislature approved a 180-day moratorium on new land-use applications for data centers and battery energy storage system projects in unincorporated portions of the county. County officials said the temporary halt would give planners time to develop long-term policies, strengthen safety regulations and establish public notification requirements.
The St. Charles County Council followed in July by unanimously approving a six-month moratorium on large-scale data centers. The restriction applies to projects larger than 100,000 square feet or requiring more than 5 megawatts of power. County leaders said they plan to use outside experts to study possible infrastructure and public health effects.
Much of the debate surrounding data centers has focused on their potential use of electricity and water.
The Taxpayers Protection Alliance argues that those concerns have been overstated. Its estimates show Missouri data centers accounted for about 0.1% of statewide water consumption in 2025 and about 1.8% of electricity consumption. The organization based its water estimate on information from the Brookings Institution, Baxtel and U.S. Geological Survey, while its electricity estimate used data from Electric Choice and the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
State Rep. Colin Wellenkamp has proposed legislation addressing particularly large water users. Wellenkamp said facilities using more than 2 million gallons of fresh water per day, or 80% of a locality’s available capacity, would be required to seek a Department of Natural Resources permit.
The competing developments illustrate the debate Missouri communities are likely to continue facing as data centers expand: weighing billions of dollars in investment and infrastructure improvements against concerns about utility capacity, land use and the long-term effects of large-scale technology facilities.