Maine’s governor vetoes data center moratorium

In Brief Posted: 1:57 PM PDT · April 25, 2026 Image Credits:Brandon Dill for The Washington Post / Getty Images Anthony Ha Maine’s governor vetoes data center moratorium Maine Governor Janet Mills has vetoed a bill that would have temporarily brought permits for new data centers to a halt. If it had become law, L.D. 307 would have imposed the country’s first statewide moratorium on new data centers — lasting, in this case, until November 1, 2027. The bill also called for the creation of a 13-person council to study and make recommendations on data center construction. With public opposition to data centers rising, other states including New York have considered similar moratoriums. In a letter to the state legislature, Mills — a Democrat currently running for the U.S. Senate — said that pausing new data centers would be “appropriate given the impacts of massive data centers in other states on the environment and on electricity rates” and that she “would have signed this bill” if it had included an exemption for a data center project in the Town of Jay. That project, Mills said, “enjoys strong local support from its host community and region.” Melanie Sachs, a Democratic state representative who sponsored the bill, said Mills’ veto “poses significant potential consequences for all ratepayers, our electric grid, our environment, and our shared energy future.” Topics AI, Government & Policy April 30 San Francisco, CA StrictlyVC kicks off the year in SF. Register now for unfiltered fireside chats and VC insights with leaders from Uber, Replit, Eclipse, and more. Plus, high-value connections that actually move the needle. Tickets are limited. REGISTER NOW Newsletters See More Subscribe for the industry’s biggest tech news TechCrunch Daily News Every weekday and Sunday, you can get the best of TechCrunch’s coverage. TechCrunch Mobility TechCrunch Mobility is your destination for transportation news and insight. Startups Weekly Startups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly. StrictlyVC Provides movers and shakers with the info they need to start their day. No newsletters selected. Subscribe By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. { "title": "Newsletters", "description": "Subscribe for the industry’s biggest tech news", "showBtn": "1", "newsletters": [{"title":"TechCrunch Daily News","description":"Every weekday and Sunday, you can get the best of TechCrunch\u2019s coverage.","slug":"techcrunch-daily-news","postId":2725851},{"title":"TechCrunch Mobility","description":"TechCrunch Mobility is your destination for transportation news and insight.","slug":"techcrunch-mobility","postId":2725841},{"title":"Startups Weekly","description":"Startups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly.","slug":"startups-weekly","postId":2725843},{"title":"StrictlyVC","description":"Provides movers and shakers with the info they need to start their day.","slug":"strictlyvc","postId":3027523}], "currentUserEmail": "", "urls": { "expandedSignup": "https://techcrunch.com/newsletters/", "privacyPolicy": "/privacy-policy/", "termsOfService": "/terms-of-service/" } } Related Hardware What Tim Cook built Anthony Ha 16 hours ago AI OpenAI CEO apologizes to Tumbler Ridge community Anthony Ha 2 days ago AI Why Cohere is merging with Aleph Alpha Anna Heim 2 days ago Latest in Government & Policy In Brief Maine’s governor vetoes data center moratorium Anthony Ha 2 days ago AI OpenAI CEO…

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