Maine’s governor vetoes data center moratorium

Maine Governor Janet Mills has vetoed a bill that would temporarily halt permits for new data centers.

If it had become law, LD 307 would have imposed the first statewide moratorium on new data centers – which in this case would last until November 1, 2027. The bill also called for the creation of a thirteen-person council to study data center construction and make recommendations.

As public opposition to data centers grows, other states, including New York, have considered similar moratoria.

In a letter Speaking to the state legislature, Mills — a Democrat currently running for the U.S. Senate — said that pausing new data centers “would be appropriate given the impact of massive data centers in other states on the environment and on electric rates” and that she “would have signed this bill” if it included an exemption for a data center project in the city of Jay.

That project, Mills said, “enjoys strong local support from the host community and the region.”

Melanie Sachs, a Democratic state representative who sponsored the bill, said Mills’ veto “This has significant potential impacts on all ratepayers, our electric grid, our environment and our shared energy future.”