East Lyme bans data centers to prevent power and water strain
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The East Lyme Zoning Commission in Connecticut unanimously approved an indefinite ban on data center development, which went into effect on Oct. 24.
This move makes the coastal town one of the first in the state to implement a blanket prohibition before any developers proposed local projects. Commission chairwoman Anne Thurlow stated the ban serves as a safeguard against pollution, high energy use, and chemical runoff.
Officials in East Lyme chose to act preemptively to avoid infrastructure issues before the demand for data centers powering artificial intelligence and cloud services increased in their area. The commission noted that the town could reverse the ban in the future if it chooses to do so. The decision occurs as other Connecticut municipalities like New Haven and Morris have also implemented bans or moratoriums.
While the state previously approved tax incentives for data center investments of at least $200 million, only one project has used the exemption to date. State leaders are now considering statewide legislation to pause new data centers to study their impact on local water and electricity.
