Maine Governor Janet Mills has exercised her veto power against legislation aimed at implementing a temporary suspension on permits for new data center developments.
Had L.D. 307 been enacted, it would have established the nation's inaugural statewide moratorium on new data centers, effective until November 1, 2027. Furthermore, the proposed legislation included provisions for forming a 13-member council tasked with researching and advising on future data center construction.
Amidst growing public concerns regarding data center expansion, several other states, including New York, have explored the implementation of similar moratoriums.
In correspondence addressed to the state legislature, Governor Mills, a Democrat and current candidate for the U.S. Senate, articulated that a pause on new data centers would be “appropriate given the impacts of massive data centers in other states on the environment and on electricity rates.” She further stated that she “would have signed this bill” had it incorporated an exemption for a specific data center initiative located in the Town of Jay.
According to Governor Mills, this particular project in Jay “enjoys strong local support from its host community and region.”
Melanie Sachs, the Democratic state representative who championed the bill, commented that Governor Mills' veto “poses significant potential consequences for all ratepayers, our electric grid, our environment, and our shared energy future.”
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