Le Sueur County adopts 12-month moratorium on data center permits

The Le Sueur County Board of Commissioners on May 26 unanimously adopted an interim ordinance that places a 12-month moratorium on establishing or permitting data centers in unincorporated areas of the county. Commissioner David Preisler moved to adopt the ordinance and Commissioner Steve Rohlfing seconded; the motion carried unanimously.

The ordinance says the moratorium is intended to protect public health, safety and welfare while county staff develop performance standards and zoning controls. It defines “Data Center” as a facility whose primary purpose is commercial storage, management, or processing of digital data for external clients, and excludes internal server rooms used solely to support a business’s internal operations. The ordinance cites Minn. Stat. § 394.34 and Minn. Stat. §§ 394.21–394.37 as the legal authority for the interim measure.

During the public hearing, Board Chair Danny O’Keefe opened public comment. The transcript records that Tessie Splett (Cleveland), Annette Pruitt Rogers (Le Sueur) and Cody Conroy (Waterville) spoke, but the meeting minutes do not include the substance of their remarks. The ordinance directs county staff, in coordination with the board, to study energy consumption and electrical infrastructure impacts, water use and cooling technologies, noise and heat emissions, air and environmental impacts, stormwater and wastewater management, emergency services and hazard mitigation, land-use compatibility and siting criteria, and potential taxation and economic impacts.

The interim ordinance takes effect June 4, 2026 and will remain in place for 12 months unless earlier repealed or extended under Minn. Stat. § 394.34. The study is to result in recommended performance standards and zoning amendments for future board consideration.