Dubuque County Supervisors Approve One-Year Moratorium on Data Center

Following staunch opposition, intense public outcry, and a petition circulated on social media racking up over 7,800 signatures and counting, the potential for a large-scale data center in Dubuque County is dormant. For now.

Per Telegraph Herald, Dubuque County supervisors voted 2-1 to halt potential data center development for a year. Supervisors Ann McDonough and Harley Pothoff voted in favor of a 12-month moratorium on the matter. Supervisor Wayne Kenniker voted in opposition.

READ MORE: The Largest Data Center in Illinois Just Got Approved

Why Data Centers are So Controversial and Problematic:

In recent months, the construction of massive data centers has been approved or proposed all across the United States. With them comes serious concern from local residents about their electricity usage and the sanctity of the environment, including land and water supply. This week, the potential for a data center hit Dubuque and residents immediately vocalized their opposition.

Speaking broadly, these data centers are large facilities that house computer systems for telecommunications and storage. The AI Boom has led to the rapid growth of the industry, and is leading to a strain on electric grids and rising electricity costs for residents. In short, locals bear the brunt of the social and economic impacts, like water and energy use, while those involved with the centers' operation receive the profits.

How a Potential Data Center in Dubuque County Sparked a Public Outcry:

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Last week, the Dubuque County Planning and Zoning Commission discussed the possibility of a large-scale data center in the community. For clarity: there have been no formal applications from any businesses for one just yet. But the very thought of a data center being erected in Dubuque County brought hundreds of residents out to the meeting, mostly to voice their opposition.

KWWL reported hundreds of people packed the May 19th meeting, both in-person and virtually. Local leaders say the topic was on the agenda solely to have a conversation about the potential for future interest from tech companies.

READ MORE: Potential Data Center in Dubuque Leads to Public Outcry

The prospect was enough to get hundreds to interrupt their midweek plans to attend the meeting to get all the facts for themselves. In the hours leading up to the meeting, a petition on MoveOn.org saying "No" to Dubuque-area data centers racked up thousands of signatures. As of this writing, the petition has garnered over 7,800 signatures.

What the Yearlong Moratorium Does:

Dubuque County Supervisors enacted the 12-month moratorium to give the county time to develop an ordinance that would regulate any data centers erected in the community, per Telegraph Herald. Initially, a four-month moratorium was drafted, but clearly, the intense scrutiny led to an even longer moratorium being put in place.

Wayne Kenniker, the supervisor with the lone vote against the moratorium, explained his reasoning:

When I vote no on this, it’s because this simple moratorium is not protection for you or for the county — not proper protection [....] [I'm] not going to vote for something that has the potential of putting the county in the wrong spot - Wayne Kenniker, per Telegraph Herald

Read more about a yearlong moratorium on data center development in Dubuque County being enacted on the Telegraph Herald's website.