GDELTMaryland
Goldstein: 3.4Tone: 1.6
CAMBRIDGE — The Dorchester County Council last week passed a resolution to adopt a one-year moratorium on data centers and hired a lobbying firm to help the council advance its interests.
The council and staff determined they needed more time to research and understand the complexities associated with data centers before creating permanent policies and zoning laws. The goal is to gather sufficient information over the 12 months to make well-informed decisions for the county.
The moratorium is effective immediately. Staff is now tasked with returning in the spring of 2027 with initial findings and recommendations.
A committee of stakeholders, including citizens and industry professionals, will be formed to contribute to the process. The staff will research how other counties have managed similar situations and propose a structure for this committee to the council.
“I would suggest that we go back and look at what other counties have done in a similar situation and then we’ll come back to you with suggestions on a game plan,” County Manager Jerry Jones said.
The moratorium currently applies only to the unincorporated areas of Dorchester County. The council plans to inform municipal partners, such as Hurlock.
“Each municipality would have to make their own legislation as to what they’re going to do,” Council President Lenny Pfeffer said.
During public comment, resident Sharon Smith suggested learning from northern Virginia’s experience with data centers, noting both the potential for significant tax revenue and the need to avoid mistakes related to electricity and water consumption.
Lobbyists
The county had engaged a lobbying firm, R&R Solutions, to advance its interests, primarily in securing funding and facilitating key meetings.
The lobbyists, Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio and Ryan Snow, have been hired to help the county secure funding for long-term goals and infrastructure projects. A “capital list” of county needs is being compiled to give the firm so they can identify and pursue funding opportunities.
To get started, the lobbyists are taking several steps. First, they held a preliminary discussion with county leadership to understand the objectives.
Additionally, they are scheduled to attend directors’ meetings to introduce themselves to department heads and explain how they can provide support.
“They are attending our directors meeting tomorrow to make an introduction and let them know what we’re thinking and how they can potentially support their respective departments,” Jones said.
A key function of the firm is to arrange meetings with high-level officials. The lobbyists are noted to be very effective at organizing meetings, particularly at the Maryland Association of Counties conference.
The council immediately tasked them with setting up a meeting with the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, emphasizing the need to connect with the department’s top leadership.
The council also sees a role for the lobbyists in addressing regional policy issues. It was suggested that the firm could help coordinate with neighboring Caroline and Talbot counties on agricultural and environmental regulations affecting the areas.
Council Vice President Mike Detmer thanked the new lobbying team and prepared them for the road ahead.
“We have a lot to accomplish, and a lot of what we have to accomplish involves people that are outside of sitting at this table,” Detmer said. “So the citizens of Dorchester are counting squarely on you two, so thank you.”
Open article →GDELTGeorgia
Goldstein: 1.0Tone: -1.9
UPDATE: Walker County commissioners voted to extend its moratorium on data centers by 180 days on Thursday, August 6.
The moratorium applies only to unincorporated areas of the county.
“This prevents a potential data center from requesting a permit.”
Once Walker County’s attorney and other staff members review the zoning code, they will propose amendments to “enhance, mitigate and regulate this specific form of land use,” according to county leaders.
They will consider:
Allowable zoning districts
Setbacks
Buffers
Noise
Lighting
Water and electricity demand
Environmental impacts
Compatibility with surrounding land uses
Commissioners also created a data center study group for additional input on impacts.
The Data Center Development Standards Study Committee will consist of:
Walker County Economic Development Director, chair
Walker County Planning Director, vice-chair
2 members appointed by the District 1 commissioner
2 members appointed by the District 2 commissioner
2 members appointed by the District 3 commissioner
2 members appointed by the District 4 commissioner
The President of the Walker County Chamber of Commerce
District commissioners will make their appointments by August 10, or they will be selected by the committee chair. The Board of Commissioners requests that the committee complete its work by December 4, 2026.
About a dozen concerned residents spoke out at the public meeting to share their concerns.
An environmental conservation group, Bumble Bear LLC, shared a clip of a LaFayette man speaking out at the commission meeting on Thursday.
"Outside of tax revenue, what is a single benefit that they [data centers] will give to anyone in this county? There's nothing. ... Can any of you name a single benefit?"
Commissioners did not respond. The man, Jonathan Stapleton, stated his belief that, instead of extending the moratorium and creating study groups, the county should ban data centers altogether, which garnered applause from the packed crowd.
The board also reiterated that the purpose of these meetings and the moratorium is because residents were concerned that a potential data center could come to the county.
The moratorium will last until February 2, 2027.
PREVIOUS STORY: The 30-day moratorium on data centers in Walker County only applies to unincorporated areas, Chairwoman Angie Teems clarified in a video on Tuesday.
The moratorium does not apply to any cities within Walker County.
“It’s important to note that the moratorium applies only to unincorporated Walker County. Each city would need to take its own action,” Teems said in the video.
Notably, Walker County’s July 10 press release on the matter did not specify that it only applied to unincorporated Walker County. It stated, “The temporary moratorium prohibits the acceptance of any application relating to locating a data center in the county for 30 days.”
Teems says the moratorium’s purpose is to study different types of data centers, their impacts, gather public input and consider amending any policies before approving future projects.
She adds that the county will be releasing a series of posts over the next few weeks to “educate and inform” county residents on issues that “need clarification.”
PREVIOUS STORY: Walker County Commissioners passed a 30-day data center moratorium Thursday night.
Following a public forum at the board’s August 6th meeting, they will consider adopting a 180-day moratorium, which would pause data center development into February 2027.
“We just don't want it, or at least if we do want it, then we need to say, ‘What are we willing to put up with?’ and maybe the zoning needs to take a really look at this,” one concerned resident said.
Another asked if county leaders had received any proposals for data centers. Chairwoman Angie Teems said while the county has heard from one or two people, they do not have names of companies.
“We were listening to the public because everybody's really wanting to make sure we don't get any of those here. There are different types of data centers,” Teems said.
The moratorium bars the county from accepting applications for the construction or operation of a data center, at least for now.
PREVIOUS STORY: The Walker County Board of Commissioners will consider a 30-day moratorium on data center development Thursday night.
The brief pause would allow leaders to “consider amendments to the county’s zoning or land use permitting code,” according to the resolution.
Wamp said the goal is to be proactive rather than reactive.
The moratorium would bar the county from accepting applications for “rezoning, land disturbance permits, business licenses, or certificates of occupancy” for the placement, construction or operation of data centers.
Currently, there are no data centers in operation in Walker County. Data Center Map, an online database, shows there are three data centers in Dalton. In total, the site reports 227 data centers in Georgia.
Chattanooga is home to five of 63 data centers across Tennessee. Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp last week proposed a one-year moratorium on data center development in rural areas. Commissioners will vote Wednesday on the proposal.
Tennessee lawmakers passed a bill this spring requiring data centers to cover the cost of any necessary infrastructure upgrades, in an effort to ensure the cost of upgrades triggered by data centers does not impact the rate charged to residential or other commercial power customers.
While Georgia lawmakers proposed similar legislation, known as Senate Bill 34, it ultimately failed.
The Walker County Board of Commissioners will meet at 6:30pm Thursday at the Walker County Courthouse Annex IV in Lafayette.
Open article →GDELTTexas
Goldstein: 8.0Tone: -0.4
Three San Antonio City Council members are calling for a temporary moratorium on applications for new data centers, citing concerns about the rapidly growing industry’s demands on water, electricity and impact on air quality in surrounding neighborhoods.
District 6 Councilmember Ric Galvan filed the three-signature memo with support from District 5 Councilmember Teri Castillo and District 8 Councilmember Ivalis Meza Gonzalez.
The memo requests a special council meeting by Aug. 31 to consider pausing applications, development plans and permits for new data centers for three to six months.
Galvan said the pause would give the city time to develop regulations addressing water and power consumption, air pollution, noise, construction standards and community benefits. He also wants CPS Energy and the San Antonio Water System to consider requiring clean energy and recycled water for new facilities.
The proposal follows Gov. Greg Abbott’s order requiring state regulators to audit data centers seeking connections to the ERCOT grid. Supporters of the industry say data centers bring investment, construction work and tax revenue, while the Data Center Coalition has urged regulators to avoid unnecessarily delaying responsible projects.
In an interview on The Source, Galvan will also discuss Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones’ push for a citywide vote on San Antonio’s proposed $489 million contribution to Project Marvel and Abbott’s proposal to open CPS Energy’s service territory to competing retail electricity providers.
Guest:
Ric Galvan is a San Antonio City Council member for District 6.
"The Source" is a live call-in program airing Mondays through Thursdays from 12-1 p.m.
Leave a message before the program at (210) 615-8982. During the live show, call 833-877-8255 or email thesource@tpr.org.
This interview will be recorded live on Monday August 10, 2026, at 12:00 p.m.
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