Saco extends temporary data center ban by another 2 months
Saco City Council Extends Data‑Center Pause Through November 28
In a unanimous vote held Monday evening, the Saco City Council extended the municipality’s temporary moratorium on data‑center construction for another 60 days, moving the deadline to November 28. The extension follows the original 61‑day ban enacted in August, giving city officials more time to update the city code and evaluate the potential impacts of large‑scale data‑center projects.
“We’re giving ourselves a chance to hit pause and assess the unknowns,” said City Administrator Ryan Pelletier. “Without clear standards, the city risks leaving residents vulnerable.”
The moratorium was put in place because the current city code does not adequately protect residents, neighboring property owners, utility ratepayers, or the environment from the possible adverse effects of data centers. Concerns cited in the moratorium include noise, heat, emissions, and the strain on local water supplies, roads, and waste‑management infrastructure.
Pelletier added that the public’s view on a potential data center is uncertain. “It’s just like any other large‑scale development,” he said. “Some people will see the financial benefit, and some people will have issues with it.”
Mayor Jodi MacPhail echoed the council’s cautious approach. “The moratorium is important to ensuring that the city takes a responsible, informed approach to large‑scale data centers,” she said. “Until the Maine Data Center Advisory Task Force presents its report in December, we’ll likely continue to extend the moratorium to keep any potential data centers out of Saco.”
The state task force, which reviews how Maine should handle data‑center development, is expected to deliver its findings in December. The city’s staff are currently studying whether data centers could be built in Saco without adverse impacts and how such projects might burden the town’s existing infrastructure.
Saco is not alone in its careful stance. Neighboring Biddeford recently moved to ban new data‑center development and to block any expansion of existing facilities, following a unanimous recommendation by its planning board to incorporate a data‑center ban into an existing land‑use ordinance. The recommendation awaits city‑council approval.
Other Maine municipalities have adopted similar measures. Sanford and Scarborough approved moratoriums that halt ongoing data‑center projects, while Westbrook and Brunswick have taken proactive steps to prevent new proposals. North Berwick is preparing to put a data‑center ban and comprehensive plan change to a public vote.
The moratorium’s extension reflects a growing trend across the state after Governor Janet Mills vetoed a bill in April that would have temporarily banned data‑center development statewide. In the wake of that veto, several towns began to consider their own restrictions.
While the extended moratorium keeps Saco free from new data‑center construction until the end of November, city officials remain open to revisiting the issue once they have a clearer understanding of the economic, environmental, and infrastructure implications. For now, the pause allows the community to weigh the potential benefits and drawbacks of hosting a large‑scale data‑center and to ensure that any future decision aligns with the town’s long‑term interests.
