Lincoln County rejects six-month moratorium on data center approvals after hours of public comment

Dozens of residents packed the Lincoln County Commissioners meeting to press for a temporary moratorium on data-center approvals, citing worries about water use, electricity demand and long-term effects on agriculture and roads. “I am asking you to support the temporary moratorium over the new data center approvals,” said Nancy Nelson, a North Platte resident, during the public‑comment period.

The concern prompted a lengthy agenda discussion in which planning staff described draft zoning rules intended to give the county greater oversight over any future projects. Judy Clark, Lincoln County planning administrator, said the planning committee has been working on standards and safeguards and presented elements of the proposed rules at the meeting: “We have done an immense amount of research…One of the requirements in here is required to use a closed‑loop system,” Clark said, describing water‑use and noise‑mitigation provisions the committee drafted.

The draft regulations also include provisions the board and staff said would help the county negotiate community‑benefit agreements and hire independent engineering reviewers at a developer’s expense. Clark told commissioners that state law requires a community‑benefit agreement for large data centers and that the county can require its terms as part of a completed application to start statutory review timelines.

Commissioners weighed residents’ calls to “tap the brakes” against concerns about a statutory shot‑clock that limits the county’s decision window for large power customers. Supporters of the moratorium said a short pause would allow more public engagement and time for the planning commission to finalize rules; some county leaders countered that existing conditional‑use authority already gives the county the ability to deny or impose substantial conditions on projects.

The board voted on a motion to adopt a six‑month moratorium. The motion failed 3–2 on roll call, with Commissioners Hukeley, Brens and Woodruff voting no and Commissioners Uhler and Weems voting yes. After the vote the board moved on to other agenda business and later recessed for Board of Equalization hearings.

What’s next: Planning staff will hold public hearings on the draft data‑center regulations at the planning commission and bring recommendations back to the board. Clark told the meeting she had not received any formal data‑center applications: “I do not have an application on my desk,” she said. The county says it will continue to solicit public input as the planning commission’s work proceeds.