State Leaders Advocate Data Center Moratoriums Amid Environmental Concerns

Maryland Governor Wes Moore said he would “absolutely sign” a statewide data-center moratorium if it reached his desk, echoing a growing chorus of governors calling for a pause on new facilities. Moore emphasized that local jurisdictions should retain authority over approvals and that any state-level bill would meet “very strict guidelines” before receiving his signature. Thirteen of Maryland’s 24 counties—including Baltimore, Worcester, Calvert, Montgomery and Prince George’s—have already imposed temporary bans, citing resident worries about housing affordability and utility costs.

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Across the nation, local officials are leveraging moratoriums to address the environmental footprint of data centers. In New Mexico, gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland backed a similar freeze, urging that new facilities construct their own renewable-energy infrastructure to shield residents from rising electricity bills. The state currently hosts 21 operational data centers, with additional projects in various stages, according to the U.S. Data Center Map. Texas Governor Greg Abbott directed the Texas Water Development Board to penalize data centers that fail to meet state water-usage standards, threatening criminal consequences and denial of permits from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

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Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) blocked a Republican-led bill that would require tech companies to cover increased electricity costs from their operations, arguing that voluntary measures are insufficient. He called for “real legislation with real teeth” to address the issue at the national level.

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Moore’s interview highlighted his willingness to sign a moratorium and his belief that local control is essential. Heinrich’s opposition to the Republican bill underscores a demand for stronger federal action. President Donald Trump, while praising data-center development as a “tremendous win,” criticized New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s freeze, urging an immediate policy reversal.

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• “If the statewide moratorium bill lands on your desk in 2027, would you sign it?” — Punchbowl News’s Mikenzie Frost

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• “Rather than voluntary pledges or suggestions to states, Congress needs to pass real legislation with real teeth,” — Sen. Martin Heinrich

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• “Data Centers are tremendous WINS for the States and Communities that are lucky enough to get them. New York should change its Policy, IMMEDIATELY,” — Trump

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