WASHINGTON, April 14 - Maine's legislature has approved a bill that would halt approvals for new large-scale data centers, creating what would be the first state-level moratorium of its kind in the United States if the governor signs it into law.
The measure passed the House by a 79-62 margin and cleared the Senate 21-13 later the same day. Under the bill, state regulators would stop approving data centers that require more than 20 megawatts of power until October 2027. During that pause, a council appointed by the state would assess the facilities' effects on the local electric grid, on household electricity bills, and on air and water in the state.
Governor Janet Mills has not yet given final approval; her signature would be required to enact the moratorium. Governor Mills' office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. The governor has advocated for an exemption for a smaller-scale project that is already under development and that reuses existing infrastructure, arguing that it would not have a major impact on the electric grid or on energy bills.
Supporters of the legislation framed the pause as an opportunity to study and manage the growing demand that large data centers place on electricity systems and local environmental resources. Opponents have raised concerns about the economic implications, though the vote totals indicate a clear legislative majority in favor of the freeze.
Maine's action will be watched closely by other states. According to the bill's supporters, eleven states are currently considering legislation that would either suspend or limit data center development. The debate has centered on the strain that electricity-hungry facilities can place on local grids and the potential for higher household energy bills.
The measure comes amid broader political activity addressing data centers at the national level. Following intense pushback against some proposed facilities by public and local officials, the federal administration last month secured voluntary commitments from major technology companies to cover the cost of new electricity generation needed to power their data centers. Separately, a range of legislators from different parties have proposed measures aimed at data-center oversight: two Democratic members of Congress introduced a bill to halt data center construction pending passage of AI safety legislation, while Republican and Democratic senators have also put forward proposals focused on shielding ratepayers from bill increases tied to data center power demand.
For now, Maine's law, if signed, would create a temporary statewide freeze that postpones approvals while state officials examine technical, economic, and environmental impacts. The outcome will likely influence how other states weigh regulations on large data center projects in the near term.