Overview
- Maine lawmakers passed LD 307 to halt approvals for facilities using 20 megawatts or more through November 1, 2027, and they created a Data Center Coordination Council to study impacts and set guidelines.
- Gov. Janet Mills has not said if she will sign, veto, or let the bill take effect without her signature, and she has pressed for an exemption for a proposed project in the mill town of Jay.
- Supporters cite risks to the electric grid, higher bills for ratepayers, and heavy cooling-water needs, and AI‑optimized sites can draw 50–150 kilowatts per rack compared with 10–15 in older centers; industry groups argue a pause will scare off investment and jobs.
- The Maine action is the first statewide move as local pushback spreads, with Oakley, California enacting a 45‑day halt, Port Washington, Wisconsin requiring voter sign‑off on major incentives, and Festus, Missouri voters ousting council members over a $6 billion project.
- The fight over data‑center growth is widening, with President Trump designating the facilities as critical infrastructure and federal lawmakers like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez proposing a national pause while more states weigh similar restrictions.