Overview
- Lawmakers sustained Gov. Janet Mills’ veto with votes of 20-11 in the Senate and 72-65 in the House.
- The bill would have paused approvals for data centers using 20 megawatts or more until November 2027.
- Mills opposed the measure because it lacked an exemption for a $550 million data center at the shuttered Jay mill.
- Developers say the Jay plan would create about 800 construction jobs and more than 100 permanent jobs, with Sentinel Data Centers slated to occupy 1 million square feet.
- The governor plans a review panel by executive order, as environmental groups warn about grid strain and water use and several Maine towns pursue their own short-term limits.