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Maine is about to become the first state to ban major new data centers

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Re: Maine is about to become the first state to ban major new data centers

#351

Post by dlubarov »

bdangubic wrote: post #311
alphager wrote: post #304

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That are paid (if not avoided) at the location of the owner, not the location of the dc. Datacenters really aren't that good for the locals. Low property tax, just tens of jobs but very high infrastructure needs.

I live in Northern VA, the world capital of data centers and can co-sign this. they bring absolutely nothing other than our electric bills have literally doubled in the last 24 or so months

Instead of banning datacenters, why not just increase electricity rates for industrial customers?

If they build datacenters anyway, there should be plenty of extra funding for power infrastructure.

Re: Maine is about to become the first state to ban major new data centers

#352

Post by Eddy_Viscosity2 »

kevin_thibedeau wrote: post #343
culi wrote: post #317

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's the opposite of NIMBY. It's smart thoughtful policy and it is NOT a simple ban. Nobody bothers to read passed the title but the main piece of this legislation is the creation of the Maine Data Center Coordination Council. Alongside it is a temporary (until Nov 2027) moratorium on data centers over 20 megawatts. This seems to be in place so they could establish a proper legal and environmental framework for build…

Is a data center worse than an iron smelter or aluminum refiner? The negative backlash is way out of proportion to the actual harm of a light industrial activity with minimal pollution. Put in requirements for responsible caps on electricity usage and ban "temporary" generators so they don't get a backdoor public subsidy on their power consumption. The market will sort the rest out.

> Is a data center worse than an iron smelter or aluminum refiner

It may not be worse, but it is more likely. There just aren't trillions of dollars being poured into new smelters across the country. If there were, then I imagine laws being enacted about them to.

Re: Maine is about to become the first state to ban major new data centers

#353

Post by tts626 »

culi wrote: post #317
pj_mukh wrote: post #307

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a recipe for creating dead retiree states. Just NIMBY everything, NIMBY the power sources[1] [2], then complain about a lack of power so NIMBY any type of new industrial . Now do this for housing, new sources of water anything a person younger than 40 would need and you basically get a state full of retirees..and oh would you look at that! [3]. Now the question is, why wouldn't all states eventually do this w…

It's the opposite of NIMBY. It's smart thoughtful policy and it is NOT a simple ban. Nobody bothers to read passed the title but the main piece of this legislation is the creation of the Maine Data Center Coordination Council. Alongside it is a temporary (until Nov 2027) moratorium on data centers over 20 megawatts. This seems to be in place so they could establish a proper legal and environmental framework for build…

Smaller data centers which are widely distributed across the country is a better idea both for jobs and grid resilience.

Need that for new power plants too: more, smaller, local.

But I think hoping "local representatives are competent enough" is wishful thinking.

Re: Maine is about to become the first state to ban major new data centers

#354

Post by QuadmasterXLII »

lbarrow wrote: post #17

For people who support this kind of ban, I'd ask if you would support a similar ban on new factories for, say, car parts. Like data centers, factories use a lot of power -- which drives up electricity bills -- and their construction can have local environmental impacts. Data centers have a reputation for not providing too many local jobs, but modern factories are often highly automated and also don't provide too many…

They expect the coming crop of data centers will be used to hurt them, and don’t want them built anywhere?

Re: Maine is about to become the first state to ban major new data centers

#355

Post by dlubarov »

rangerelf wrote: post #72
jeffbee wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As has been repeatedly demonstrated[1], it is the presence of new, large consumers that drives down the cost of bulk power by amortizing the infrastructure investments. Maine voters are, of course, notorious bozos in this field, having voted in a plebiscite in 2021 to cancel the link to Quebec Hydro, which was already substantially completed. 1: For example LBNL's latest banger: Factors influencing recent trends in r…

Do you have any links to support this? Because the commonality of all arguments _against_ has been that they make water and power crazy expensive for everyone that has to live close to the newly opened datacenters, while the DC operator enjoys subsidized land use tax, water and power.

If DCs can be harmful because of subsidized power, wouldn't the natural reaction be to stop subsidizing their power, rather than banning them?

Re: Maine is about to become the first state to ban major new data centers

#356

Post by bdangubic »

dlubarov wrote: post #351
bdangubic wrote: post #311

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I live in Northern VA, the world capital of data centers and can co-sign this. they bring absolutely nothing other than our electric bills have literally doubled in the last 24 or so months

Instead of banning datacenters, why not just increase electricity rates for industrial customers? If they build datacenters anyway, there should be plenty of extra funding for power infrastructure.

makes too much sense but of course they’ll move to Texas then and you’d again be labeled (like poor Maine here) as unfriendly to businesses and god knows what else

Re: Maine is about to become the first state to ban major new data centers

#357

Post by Redoubts »

eudamoniac wrote: post #327
pj_mukh wrote: post #307

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a recipe for creating dead retiree states. Just NIMBY everything, NIMBY the power sources[1] [2], then complain about a lack of power so NIMBY any type of new industrial . Now do this for housing, new sources of water anything a person younger than 40 would need and you basically get a state full of retirees..and oh would you look at that! [3]. Now the question is, why wouldn't all states eventually do this w…

Is your argument that we should ignore the will of the people? Because this is what the people of Maine want. Why exactly should Maine be forced to have data centers in it when its citizens don't want that?

We have rights and representative republics to restrain the will of the people for a reason.

Re: Maine is about to become the first state to ban major new data centers

#358

Post by Acrobatic_Road »

jmalicki wrote: post #308
Acrobatic_Road wrote: post #286

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's this thing called taxes...

There aren't taxes on datacenters in Texas. They gain virtually nothing from them! https://www.texastribune.org/2026/04/08/texas-data-centers-s...

That ignores all the tax revenue they bring in at the local level. Virginia also has tax exemptions at the state level, but as another commentator points out, data centers are delivering a huge share of tax revenue in places like Loudon County.

And of course you can (and should!) get rid of those state tax exemptions which have served their purpose.

Re: Maine is about to become the first state to ban major new data centers

#359

Post by alex43578 »

culi wrote: post #297
tt24 wrote: post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Strange that suddenly they don’t seem to like this concept so much anymore :) “I support the right of $state to ban $thing” Wait, not like that!

States don't have "rights", people do. I don't support any state's power to take away any human's rights. And bootlickers who do shouldn't have the chance to act out their fascistic fantasies

It's reasonable to believe that a blanket ban on data centers constitutes a regulatory taking, and therefore run afoul of people's property rights. A data center doesn't pose some unreasonable risk to the public interest to justify this degree of action.

Re: Maine is about to become the first state to ban major new data centers

#360

Post by bigfatkitten »

andsoitis wrote: post #226
bigfatkitten wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And a data centre brings absolutely no economic benefit whatsoever to its local community, unlike something like an auto plant that creates entirely new supporting industries to support it and its employees.

> data centre brings absolutely no economic benefit whatsoever to its local community Following that logic, are you suggesting that data centers should not be built at all?

I’m saying that communities are absolutely within their right to oppose developments that make their homes and their lives worse for no benefit.
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