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Council approves moratorium on data centers to study infrastructure impacts
Summary
Chesterfield County Council approved a one‑and‑a‑half‑year moratorium on permits for data centers, cryptocurrency mining and related facilities to allow staff to study impacts on infrastructure and review regulatory models used elsewhere; members cited similar state legislation under consideration.
Chesterfield County Council voted to impose a temporary moratorium on permits for data centers and related data‑processing uses, extending a pause while staff studies infrastructure impacts and potential regulatory approaches.
County attorney Mr. Bryant explained the moratorium’s purpose: to assess effects of data‑processing facilities and cryptocurrency mining on local infrastructure and to consider rules used by other jurisdictions. Council members said jurisdictions in the region had encountered unforeseen complications and noted a companion House bill (HB 5286) seeking similar pause at the state level.
Council approved first reading of the moratorium and also adopted an emergency moratorium vote at the same meeting so staff could immediately halt permit issuance while the study proceeds. The council did not set final regulatory language; staff will present findings and proposed regulations to the public and council following the study.
