Maine Gov. Janet Mills vetoed a bill that would have temporarily halted permitting for new data centers.
If the bill had become law, LD 307 would have imposed the nation’s first statewide moratorium on new data centers. In this case, it will last until November 1, 2027. The bill also called for the creation of a 13-member commission to study and make recommendations on data center construction.
As public opposition to data centers grows, other states, including New York, have considered similar moratoriums.
“Given the impact that large data centers in other states have on the environment and electric bills, it would be appropriate to put a moratorium on new data centers,” Mills, now a Democrat running for U.S. Senate, said in a letter to the state Legislature, adding that he “would have signed this bill” if it had included an exemption for data center projects in Jaytown.
Mills said the project “enjoys strong local support from the host community and region.”
Democratic state Rep. Melanie Sachs, who sponsored the bill, said Mills’ veto “has significant potential consequences for all ratepayers, the electric grid, the environment and our shared energy future.”
