Gray to consider proposed data-center moratorium Aug. 4

Gray’s Town Council is scheduled to consider a proposed temporary moratorium on data centers at its meeting Tuesday, August 4, 2026. The measure has not been adopted and could still be changed or rejected.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at the Gray Town Office, 24 Main Street. The town’s July 29 notice says the council will address proposed changes to the accessory dwelling unit, zoning, growth and subdivision ordinances, along with a proposed temporary moratorium on data centers.

What Gray is considering

Planning staff introduced a draft data-center moratorium during the council’s July 14 workshop. According to the town’s meeting recap, the draft is intended to give Gray time to define what qualifies as a data center, determine where such facilities might be appropriate and develop zoning standards for future council consideration.

Council discussion included concerns about electricity demand, water use and how long a temporary pause should remain in effect. Those were raised as part of the policy discussion, not as documented impacts from an operating Gray facility.

If approved, the moratorium would serve as a temporary pause while planning staff work on local regulations. The August 4 meeting notice identifies the item as a proposed action; it does not establish that the council will adopt the measure or conclude the issue with a final ordinance.

Why the state debate matters

Gray’s proposal comes amid a broader debate over how Maine should regulate large data centers. Maine lawmakers gave final approval in April to LD 307, a bill that would have temporarily prohibited municipalities and state entities from accepting applications for or issuing approvals for data centers with a load of 20 megawatts. The proposed pause would have lasted until November 1, 2027 and would have created a Maine Data Center Coordination Council.

Gov. Janet Mills vetoed the bill on April 24. The Associated Press reported that Mills cited the bill’s failure to include an exception for a proposed project in Jay, where officials hoped to create jobs following a mill closure.

Because the statewide pause did not become law, municipalities such as Gray are weighing how much local control they want over data-center development and what standards should apply if applications are filed. For Gray residents, the immediate issue is whether the town should pause new data-center activity while it develops local definitions, zoning locations and regulations.

The council’s August 4 discussion should clarify whether the draft moves forward, changes or requires additional review. Until the council takes formal action, Gray’s data-center moratorium remains a proposal.

Sources

• Town of Gray August 4 Town Council meeting notice
• Associated Press report on Maine’s vetoed data-center moratorium
• Maine House Democrats legislative notice on LD 307