Municipal Implementation of Regulatory Restrictions on Data Center Development in the United States

美國市政當局對數據中心發展實施監管限制

May 20, 2026, 19:03
USPolitics

Introduction

Several local governments in Colorado and New Jersey have enacted moratoriums or prohibitions on the construction of new data centers, citing environmental and infrastructural concerns.

科羅拉多州與新澤西州的幾個地方政府由於對環境及基礎設施的擔憂，已頒布暫停或禁止興建新數據中心的令。

Main Body

In Denver, the City Council unanimously approved a one-year moratorium on new data center zoning permits and site development plans. This legislative action follows the authorization of a CoreSite facility in the Globeville-Elyria-Swansea neighborhood, a region characterized by high pollution levels. The facility's projected water consumption—approximately 230,000 gallons per day—represents a significant increase over the company's existing downtown operations. Furthermore, the installation of fourteen diesel generators in proximity to a respiratory health clinic prompted official apologies from council members, who acknowledged a failure to utilize land-use powers despite the rejection of a $9 million tax incentive request. While the initial CoreSite building will proceed, subsequent planned structures are blocked. This trend extends to Jefferson County, where a preemptive moratorium has been extended to March 2027 due to water supply and wildfire interface risks. Conversely, the City of Aurora has pursued a different fiscal strategy, granting a tax rebate agreement to QTS for a facility at I-70 and E-470.

在丹佛，市議會一致通過為期一年的暫停令，停止核發新數據中心的區分許可證及場地開發計劃。此立法行動是因為先前批准在 Globeville-Elyria-Swansea 社區建設 CoreSite 設施，而該地區以高污染水平著稱。該設施預計每日用水量約 23 萬加侖，較該公司現有的市中心營運量顯著增加。此外，在呼吸道健康診所附近安裝 14 部柴油發電機，導致市議員正式道歉，他們承認儘管拒絕了 900 萬美元的稅務優惠請求，但未能有效運用土地使用權。雖然首棟 CoreSite 建築將繼續進行，但隨後計劃的建築均被攔截。此趨勢也延伸至傑斐遜郡，由於水供應及野火界面風險，預防性暫停令已延長至 2027 年 3 月。相反，奧羅拉市採取了不同的財政策略，與 QTS 達成稅務回扣協議，准許其在 I-70 與 E-470 交界處建設設施。

Parallel developments are evident in New Jersey, where the Millville Board of Commissioners passed an ordinance banning data centers, asserting that such facilities are incompatible with land-use objectives and detrimental to public welfare. This decision effectively terminates the proposed 1.4 gigawatt Millville Energy & Data Center Campus. The regional proliferation of these facilities, driven by the computational requirements of artificial intelligence firms such as OpenAI and Anthropic, has catalyzed community opposition. Concerns center on the depletion of water resources, escalation of utility costs, and minimal long-term employment gains relative to the scale of infrastructure demand. Consequently, the Climate Revolution Action Network is currently advocating for a statewide moratorium on facilities exceeding 20 megawatts to ensure grid reliability and environmental protection.

新澤西州也出現了平行發展，Millville 委員方向通過了一項禁止數據中心的法令，聲稱此類設施與土地利用目標不符且損害公共福利。此決定實際上終止了擬議中的 1.4 吉瓦 Millville Energy & Data Center Campus 計劃。由於 OpenAI 和 Anthropic 等人工智慧公司對運算需求的推動，導致此類設施在區域內激增，觸發了社區反對。關注焦點在於水資源枯竭、公共事業成本上升，以及相對於基礎設施需求規模而言，長期就業增益極低。因此，「氣候革命行動網絡」目前正倡導在全州範圍內暫停建設超過 20 兆瓦的設施，以確保電網可靠性與環境保護。

Conclusion

Local authorities are increasingly prioritizing resource preservation and public health over the rapid expansion of AI-driven infrastructure.

地方當局正日益將資源保存與公共健康置於 AI 驅動基礎設施的快速擴張之上。

Vocabulary Learning

The Architecture of Nominalization and Precision

To bridge the gap from B2 to C2, a student must move beyond describing actions and start encoding concepts. The provided text is a masterclass in Nominalization—the process of turning verbs (actions) and adjectives (qualities) into nouns. This is the hallmark of academic, legal, and high-level administrative English.

⚡ The Shift: Action →\rightarrow Concept

Observe how the text avoids simple sentence structures like "The government banned data centers because they were worried about the environment." Instead, it employs dense noun phrases that encapsulate entire logical arguments:

  • "Municipal Implementation of Regulatory Restrictions"

    • B2 approach: "Cities are putting rules in place."
    • C2 nuance: By using "Implementation" and "Restrictions," the writer removes the specific actor and focuses on the administrative process.

  • "Regional proliferation... has catalyzed community opposition."

    • B2 approach: "More data centers are being built, so people are protesting."
    • C2 nuance: "Proliferation" (rapid increase) and "catalyzed" (accelerated a chemical/social reaction) transform a social event into a systemic analysis.

🛠️ Linguistic Deconstruction: The "Heavy" Noun Phrase

C2 mastery requires the ability to stack modifiers to create a single, precise conceptual unit. Look at this sequence:

"...a preemptive moratorium has been extended to March 2027 due to water supply and wildfire interface risks."

Anatomy of the phrase "Wildfire interface risks":

  1. Wildfire (The trigger)
  2. Interface (The point where two systems—urban and wild—meet)
  3. Risks (The core noun/category)

In a B2 context, this would be a long sentence: "There are risks because houses are too close to where wildfires happen." At C2, three nouns are fused into one precise technical term. This increases information density.

🎓 Strategic Application

To emulate this level of sophistication, stop asking "Who did what?" and start asking "What is the name of this phenomenon?"

Instead of... (Verb-centric)Try... (Noun-centric/C2)
Because the city decided to...Following the authorization of...
They are not compatible with......are incompatible with land-use objectives
Because they want to protect......to ensure grid reliability and environmental protection

Vocabulary Learning

moratorium (n.)
A temporary suspension or prohibition of an activity.
Example:The city council imposed a moratorium on the construction of new data centers to address environmental concerns.
authorization (n.)
Official permission or approval granted by an authority.
Example:The authorization of a CoreSite facility was granted after a thorough environmental review.
projected (adj.)
Estimated or forecasted based on data or analysis.
Example:The projected water consumption for the new data center was estimated at 230,000 gallons per day.
consumption (n.)
The act of using or depleting a resource.
Example:The facility's high consumption of electricity raised alarms among local residents.
proximity (n.)
The state of being near or close to something.
Example:The proximity of the generators to the respiratory health clinic caused significant concern.
respiratory (adj.)
Relating to breathing or the lungs.
Example:The respiratory health clinic was affected by the noise and fumes from the diesel generators.
utilization (n.)
The act or process of using something effectively.
Example:The council failed to fully utilize land‑use powers to mitigate the impact of the new development.
land‑use (adj.)
Pertaining to the planning and regulation of land for specific purposes.
Example:Land‑use regulations were invoked to restrict the expansion of data centers in the area.
incentive (n.)
Something that motivates or encourages a particular action.
Example:The company received a tax incentive to build the data center, but the incentive was later withdrawn.
proliferation (n.)
Rapid spread or increase in number.
Example:The proliferation of data centers in the region has sparked community opposition.
computational (adj.)
Relating to the use of computers or computation.
Example:The computational requirements of artificial intelligence firms drive the demand for large data centers.
artificial (adj.)
Man‑made rather than natural.
Example:Artificial intelligence is a key driver behind the expansion of data center infrastructure.
catalyzed (v.)
Caused or accelerated a process or reaction.
Example:The announcement of new data center projects catalyzed public protests.
depletion (n.)
The reduction or exhaustion of a resource.
Example:The depletion of local water resources is a major concern for residents.
escalation (n.)
The process of increasing in intensity or magnitude.
Example:The escalation of utility costs has strained the budgets of small businesses.
environmental (adj.)
Relating to the natural world and its protection.
Example:Environmental protection is a core consideration in municipal planning decisions.
reliability (n.)
The quality of being dependable or consistent.
Example:Ensuring grid reliability is essential when approving large power‑intensive projects.
fiscal (adj.)
Relating to government finances or budgeting.
Example:The fiscal strategy involved offering a tax rebate to attract investment.
ordinance (n.)
A local law or regulation enacted by a governing body.
Example:The ordinance banning data centers was passed by the Millville Board of Commissioners.
Practice C2 words in a crossword→