Woodbury County, Iowa (RI) — Woodbury County is the latest county to address the issue of data centers as their supervisors unanimously approved a one-year moratorium on the facilities.
The vote is a response to the town of Salix annexing 900 acres of farmland in April, where MidAmerican Energy is actively seeking a customer to build and operate a data center.
Supervisor Matthew Ung says both Plymouth and Sioux County in northwest Iowa also passed similar measures recently so they can come up with rules and regulations.
The mayor of Salix said he had no comment on the moratorium but has previously said the community followed the law. Nearby resident Steve Corey says the project should be built in an industrial area instead of on farmland.
Dean Bradham, a member of the local Plumber and Steamfitters union, says blocking a data center will make the county miss out on tax money and progress.
State Senator Kevin Alons told supervisors there’s been a lack of transparency, saying MidAmerican hasn’t answered questions about the size and scope of the project.
Around 300 people turned out Tuesday to voice their thoughts as Dubuque County held its first public hearing on a data-center ordinance. Dubuque County passed a moratorium on data centers to give it time to come up with the ordinance. In addition, the Ames City Council heard details Tuesday night from a company that wants to build a center at the city’s airport.
