Springfield City Council voted 8-0 to adopt a 120-day moratorium on new data center applications, allowing city staff to collect input from the public and research potential impacts.
Background
The moratorium was proposed to study the effects of data centers on water and energy use, noise and air pollution, and economic development. Currently, there is no definition of a data center in Springfield’s city code.
Councilmember Brandon Jenson questioned the timing of the vote, which was held during a special meeting. Mayor Jeff Schrag explained that expediency was necessary to prevent potential applications from being submitted before the moratorium could take effect.
Local Context
One developer has already met with city staff to discuss a potential planned development along the Medical Mile that could include a data center. Additionally, a site on National Avenue is being considered for a data center or a project with similar components.
Springfield joins other jurisdictions in southwest Missouri, such as Seymour and Webster and Stone counties, in approving moratoriums on data centers. Residents in these areas have expressed concerns about groundwater contamination, power usage, noise pollution, and temperature pollution.
Demand for artificial intelligence is driving the rapid development of data centers nationwide. According to the Pew Research Center, there are approximately 3,000 operational data centers in the US, with 1,500 more in various stages of development.
Original reporting: Springfield Daily Citizen — read the source article.
