A three-year data center moratorium could be introduced in Virginia, the industry's largest market. Russet Perry, Democratic senator for Loudoun County, proposed the moratorium in Senate Bill 843.
If enacted, the bill would stop state agencies from approving data center planning applications for three years from July 1, 2027. Perry said the moratorium was designed to give Virginia's lawmakers time to draw up a set of rules for data center developments.
Perry said the industry "has grown unchecked and without guardrails for years." She said families face rising electric bills and massive transmission lines threaten homes, schools, churches, and farms.
Northern Virginia, which includes Loudoun County, has been at the heart of the data center industry for years. Statewide moratoriums have been introduced in New York, Texas, and Oregon.