Bourbon County adopts 180‑day moratorium on utility‑scale power, crypto mining, data centers and certain waste operations
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Summary
The Bourbon County Commission on Jan. 5 approved a temporary 180‑day moratorium that pauses new proposals for utility‑scale power generation, crypto mining, data centers and specified waste disposal projects, excluding three named solar projects already in development.
Bourbon County commissioners on Tuesday adopted a temporary 180‑day moratorium on new utility‑scale power generation, crypto mining, data centers and certain waste disposal operations, saying the pause will give the county time to study zoning and infrastructure impacts. "I move that we add this, moratorium resolution for utility scale power generation, crypto mining, data centers, and waste disposal operations, for Bourbon County to the bottom of new business," Chair David Birbauer said as he placed the item on the agenda and later moved its adoption.
The resolution, discussed at length by the planning commission’s liaison and county staff, was written to exclude three commercial solar projects already authorized by prior resolutions: Tennyson Creek Solar LLC, Tennyson Creek Solar 2 LLC and Hidden Creek Solar LLC. A county staff member briefing the board described the draft as "basically disallow[ing] any new development of utility scale power, crypto mining, data centers, waste disposal operations" while preserving projects that are already permitted.
Commissioners and staff said the moratorium is meant to give the county time to study the local impacts, review planning and permitting rules, and evaluate legal exposure. County counsel and planning staff noted the county could extend the moratorium if more time is needed; staff suggested an initial 180‑day period as a starting point. "If we would have to extend it, we could," a staff speaker said during discussion.
The commission adopted the moratorium by voice vote after clarifying exemptions and placement on the agenda; no roll‑call tally was recorded in the public minutes. The resolution will be filed as Resolution 7‑26 and staff said they will circulate the final text and next steps to the planning commission and to interested parties.
What happens next: staff and the planning commission will complete a study of the regulatory and infrastructure questions raised, and the commission can revisit or extend the moratorium before it expires. The three solar projects named in the resolution are explicitly exempt and may proceed under their existing approvals.