It took less than 10 minutes of debate for the Gray Town Council to unanimously approve a temporary moratorium on the construction of data centers.
The moratorium comes in the wake of Gov. Janet Mills’ veto of LD 307, which would have established a first-in-the-nation statewide moratorium on the approval of new data centers lasting until November 2027. Since the failure of LD 307, multiple towns have passed moratoriums, including Gorham, Scarborough, Brunswick, and Westbrook. The Greater Portland Council of Governments released a booklet to serve as a starting point for communities on data center policy, with sample language on conditional data center approval.
During the public comment period on Aug. 4, a resident spoke in favor of the moratorium, citing the tremendous amount of environmental damage and noise pollution in communities where data centers have been built. The resident said he believed it was imperative for people and communities to take a stand against data centers.
While all members of the council voted in favor of the short-term moratorium, there was debate on how data centers would affect business in Gray. Councilor Michael Johnson said the town needs businesses, and wanted more research done into the impact of data centers on the environment. Councilor Pamela Edson was skeptical of the idea data centers would increase business, owing to the near-lack of employees in such facilities.
The moratorium is retroactive to July 14 and is set to last 180 days, giving the Town Council time to develop a set of standards and regulations for the town’s zoning ordinance.
