Today’s AI Data Center News

Here are today’s most significant data center locality stories — regulatory battles, community opposition, and legal challenges shaping where data centers can be built across the United States.

1. Federal officials announce $33B data center, power plant in Pike County
Ohio · Power Grid Or Energy
Federal officials have announced a $33 billion project in Pike County that includes a large data center and an associated power plant. This massive investment signals a major expansion in Ohio’s data center infrastructure, highlighting the growing demand for energy and data capacity in the region. Read here.

2. State lawmakers getting ready to vote on bill that would put a moratorium on data centers in Maine
Maine · Government Policy
Maine state lawmakers are preparing to vote on a bill that would impose a moratorium on new data center developments. This potential legislative action reflects growing local concerns about the environmental and infrastructural impacts of data centers, which could slow expansion in the state. Read here.

3. Champaign County takes first step towards a one-year data center moratorium
Illinois · Government Policy
Champaign County officials have initiated the process for a one-year moratorium on data center construction to better assess the impacts of rapid development. This move signals growing local regulatory scrutiny that could affect data center project timelines and approvals in Illinois. Read here.

4. Festus officials reach proposed deal with CRG on $6B data center
Missouri · Zoning Permit
Officials in Festus, Missouri, have reached a proposed agreement with CRG for a $6 billion data center development, moving the project closer to approval. This deal reflects active local government engagement and negotiation in large-scale data center projects, setting a precedent for community and developer collaboration. Read here.

5. Four data center bills await governor’s signature as Southwest Virginia projects spark debate
Virginia · Government Policy
Virginia has four data center-related bills pending the governor’s signature amid heated debate over new projects in Southwest Virginia. These legislative actions could significantly shape the regulatory landscape and development pace of data centers in the state. Read here.

This roundup is generated daily from our Data Center Locality Report. Subscribe for the full intelligence briefing.

The data center locality analysis for March 21, 2026, identified locality issues in 69.2% of the 78 articles reviewed, with government policy, community pushback, and power grid or energy concerns emerging as the predominant challenges. Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Illinois reported the highest number of issues, indicating region-specific complexities in data center deployment. The prominence of regulatory and public opposition factors underscores the need for strategic stakeholder engagement and infrastructure planning in affected states.

Today’s Data Center News at a Glance

• 78 data center articles analyzed
• 54 articles (69.2%) involve local opposition or regulatory issues

Top States with Locality Issues

1. Ohio: 10 issues (18.5%)
2. Pennsylvania: 8 issues (14.8%)
3. Illinois: 5 issues (9.3%)
4. Missouri: 4 issues (7.4%)
5. Virginia: 3 issues (5.6%)

Primary Issue Types

• Government Policy & Regulation: 20 articles (37.0%)
• Community Opposition: 13 articles (24.1%)
• Power Grid & Energy: 9 articles (16.7%)

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