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Baldwin Planning Board opens conversation on moratorium for large-scale projects, flags data center and battery risks
Summary
The Baldwin Planning Board discussed a renewed proposal to consider a moratorium on new large-scale projects — including data centers — and members raised infrastructure, housing and lithium‑ion battery fire risks as key concerns to be evaluated legally and administratively.
At a Baldwin Planning Board meeting a committee member said there was renewed interest in "a moratorium on any new big scale projects," citing data centers as an example and asking the board to "get the lawyer involved to see the legality of that." Chair said she "would love to hear what Amy Chow has to say about it," signaling a desire for expert input.
Participants flagged infrastructure and community impacts: members questioned whether Eastport is suitable for a data center, expressed concern about power availability and noise from backup generation, and noted potential effects on housing as employees locate nearby. One participant described energy storage alternatives and cautioned about lithium‑ion battery safety after recounting a house fire and a separate consumer‑device (VR headset) incident.
Board members agreed to open a conversation and seek legal advice on the possibility of a moratorium. No formal motion or vote was recorded in the transcript; the discussion centered on whether to initiate a process to evaluate legality, impacts and potential limits of local authority.
