AUGUSTA – Today, the Maine House and Senate gave final approval to a bill sponsored by Rep. Melanie Sachs, D-Freeport, that would institute a temporary pause on the construction of data centers and create the Maine Data Center Coordination Council to assist towns with future implementation.
“This bill positions Maine to respond deliberately and responsibly to a rapidly evolving industry,” said Sachs. “Since I brought this bill forward, people and communities across the state have been asking the Legislature to take action and temporarily pause these projects, which could have significant impacts on ratepayers, our electric grid and our environment. I am grateful for the strong, bipartisan support this bill has received, and I am hopeful Governor Mills will sign it into law.”
As amended, LD 307 would temporarily prohibit any municipality, state agency or quasi-independent state entity from accepting an application for – or issuing – a permit, certificate or other approval for the development, construction or operation of a data center with a load of 20 megawatts. The moratorium would last until Nov. 1, 2027.
The bill would also require the Department of Energy Resources to convene the Maine Data Center Coordination Council to provide input and facilitate planning related to data centers and their potential benefits and risks to Maine. The council would be expected to submit a final report to the Legislature by Feb. 1, 2027, illustrating the findings of its evaluation and accompanying recommendations.
Currently, there are no large-scale data centers in Maine, but high-profile projects have been revealed in recent weeks, including in Sanford and Jay.
Sachs is serving her third term in the Maine House and represents Freeport. She serves as House chair of the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee.
Contact:
Brian Lee (Sachs) | 305-965-2744