McDowell County Commissioners Unanimously Approve Six-Month Moratorium on Data Centers

<p><strong>McDowell County -- September 2, 2026: </strong>The McDowell County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on Monday, August 31, 2026, to enact an immediate six-month moratorium on data center development across the county following a public hearing.</p><p>The special session drew residents seeking answers about potential tech and hyperscale infrastructure coming to the area. County officials emphasized early in the meeting that no project plans or applications have been approved or submitted to the board. Leadership explained that under North Carolina law (N.C.G.S. 160D), local governments cannot permanently ban lawful commercial operations, making a temporary moratorium the proper legal mechanism to pause activity while crafting local land-use safeguards.</p><p>During the public hearing, citizens voiced shared priorities regarding the rapid expansion of large-scale facilities:</p><ul><li><p><strong>Water Resources:</strong> Residents repeatedly cited concerns about the heavy daily water demands required for cooling systems and the potential strain on local aquifers, municipal systems, and mountain streams.</p></li><li><p><strong>Power Grid Reliability:</strong> Community members raised questions about electrical consumption, wondering whether massive industrial loads could destabilize the regional grid or drive up utility rates for residential ratepayers.</p></li><li><p><strong>Noise and Air Quality:</strong> Concerns were raised regarding continuous low-frequency hums from cooling towers and exhaust emissions from emergency backup diesel generators.</p></li><li><p><strong>Preserving Rural Character:</strong> Speakers urged county leaders to protect McDowell County's natural resources, scenery, and mountain quality of life before allowing large footprint industrial data hubs to locate in the area.</p></li></ul><p>Following public comment, commissioners concurred with residents' concerns and moved to approve a six-month moratorium. The action tasks county staff and the McDowell County Planning Board with thoroughly studying the technical impacts, gathering regional data, and drafting a comprehensive regulatory ordinance to establish clear zoning, setback, and operational parameters for future consideration.