Calls are growing at the Connecticut State Capitol for a temporary statewide ban on new data centers as lawmakers raise concerns about their potential impact on electricity, water and surrounding communities.
The push for a moratorium has bipartisan support and comes as several municipalities have already taken steps to block or pause new data center development.
“What we’re asking for is just moratorium until we can put some rules of the road, some guardrails, and then try to move forward on this,” Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, a Democrat, said.
Republican state Sen. Jeff Gordon, of Woodstock, also said Connecticut should carefully consider how it approaches future data center development.
“I just want to make certain that if we’re going to move to the future with data centers, we need to think it through carefully and not be caught off guard, and then in a reactive mode, and at that point, there’s not much we can do,” Gordon said.
Connecticut already has data centers in Waterbury, Norwalk and Trumbull. Others are or were proposed in Beacon Falls, Cromwell, Colchester and Groton.
Some existing facilities are relatively small. A data center in Waterbury, for example, is just a few thousand square feet.
The larger concern among opponents is the potential arrival of hyperscale data centers similar to those being developed elsewhere in the country to support artificial intelligence and other technology. Those facilities can measure more than 1 million square feet and have prompted concerns about their potential impact on power, water, and noise.
Local opposition is already taking shape.
“I think East Lyme needs to send a strong message saying we really don’t need this in our community,” Niantic resident Lori Nickerson said Oct. 15.
East Lyme’s Zoning Commission voted last week to ban data centers. Groton, New Haven, West Haven, Trumbull and Morris have also put bans in place, while other communities are considering similar action.
The Data Center Coalition, whose members include major technology companies, argues the facilities are necessary to support the country’s growing use of digital services. The group has also pushed back against opposition, pointing to local economic benefits and arguing that many data centers use about the same amount of water as a large office building.
The debate is also renewing scrutiny of Connecticut’s data center tax incentives.
During a debate Thursday night, Gov. Ned Lamont was asked whether he regretted signing the state’s data center incentive measure in 2021.
“We have not allowed any of those big AI data centers into this state, and I don’t think we are going to,” Lamont said.
State Sen. Ryan Fazio, a Republican candidate for governor, criticized Lamont’s position.
“Just last year, Governor Lamont was extolling the virtues of data centers and wanted them to come to Connecticut,” Fazio said.
