Westbrook proposes 180‑day moratorium on data centers

The Westbrook City Council’s Housing & Economic Development Committee agenda for May 18, 2026, includes a proposed ordinance that would impose a 180‑day moratorium on the siting, permitting, construction and operation of data centers in the city, Mayor David Morse said in a city press release.

The moratorium proposal, announced in a May 12 press release from the City of Westbrook, follows the legislature’s recent debate over LD 307 and a veto by Governor Janet Mills of a statewide moratorium. The release said the Governor also established a Maine Data Center Advisory Council to study data center impacts; local leaders including House Speaker Ryan Fecteau had urged municipalities to consider local pauses while policy is developed.

The draft ordinance includes eight "WHEREAS" findings asserting that recent large‑scale data center development in Maine can consume large amounts of water and electrical energy, strain local energy grids, potentially increase residential utility costs, and create noise, heat‑island and environmental impacts. The ordinance states the Westbrook Land Use Ordinance and other city codes are "inadequate" to prevent those harms and says the City needs at least 180 days to gather information and draft appropriate standards.

Under the ordinance text distributed with the agenda, the moratorium would take effect immediately upon adoption and remain in force for 180 days unless extended or repealed. During the moratorium the ordinance would bar any City official, officer, board or agency from accepting, processing, approving or denying any application or request for permits or approvals related to a new, enlarged or expanded data center in Westbrook. The draft also defines "data center" as a structure or facility that primarily contains servers, data storage devices or networking equipment used to process, store or transmit digital information.

The ordinance cites authority under state law, naming 30‑A M.R.S. § 3001 and 30‑A M.R.S. § 4356 as the bases for municipal moratoria and references remedies under 30‑A M.R.S. § 4452 for enforcement, including fines, injunctive relief and recovery of attorneys’ fees if a data center were operated in violation of the moratorium.

Mayor David Morse is quoted in the release: "People are very concerned about the rapid proliferation of data centers across the country being driven by AI and cloud computing. I share that concern. I believe that, while no data center has been yet formally proposed in the City of Westbrook, a moratorium at this time would be prudent so that we can be prepared if or when such a proposal comes forward. Westbrook has a reputation for thoughtful planning and development, and taking the time to study this issue carefully is in line with our planning philosophy." Mayor Morse's remarks were included in the city's press release announcing the proposal.

No formal vote on the ordinance is recorded in the materials provided. The press release says the City Council will discuss the proposed moratorium at the Housing & Economic Development Committee meeting on May 18, 2026, and that, if the Council chooses to move forward, a vote would be scheduled for the regular City Council meeting on June 1, 2026. The release also invites public comment at the May 18 committee meeting.

The proposal does not identify any specific data center project in Westbrook; the materials state none has been formally proposed. The ordinance text and the press release place emphasis on giving staff time to research impacts and to draft an amendment to Westbrook’s Land Use Ordinance and other codes rather than creating an immediate, permanent new standard.