All posts tagged: Vetos

Maine Governor Vetos Data Center Moratorium, Citing Job Creation And Economic Growth

Maine Governor Vetos Data Center Moratorium, Citing Job Creation And Economic Growth

Maine Governor Janet Mills has vetoed a bill that would have temporarily limited the development of large data centers across Maine, despite expressing support for a broader pause on such projects, according to Maine’s website. The governor said she would have approved the legislation if it had included an exemption for a $550 million data center redevelopment already underway at the former Androscoggin Mill in Jay, a project backed by local officials and seen as critical to economic recovery in the region. Mills emphasized that while a moratorium makes sense due to concerns about environmental impact and rising electricity costs seen in other states, the bill in its final form failed to account for the Jay project’s potential benefits. The redevelopment is expected to bring hundreds of construction jobs, create at least 100 permanent positions, and restore a major portion of the town’s lost tax base following the mill’s closure in 2023. The site says that Mills plans to move forward with an executive order to study the impact of large-scale data centers in Maine. …