Voters in a Southern California city moved to cement what is believed to be the nation’s first ban on data centers, appearing to resoundingly approve a ballot measure that prohibits the facilities citywide. The Monterey Park City Council unanimously voted in March to submit the ballot measure — known as Measure NDC — to the June 2 special municipal election, seeking to permanently prohibit data centers within city limits. The measure amends the city’s general plan and land use framework to add a citywide ban on data centers, according to city officials. … City officials described the ban as a way to protect air quality, drinking water resources, and public health, and to avoid potential impacts to electricity and water rates from the large-scale computing facilities. 

Other data center moratorium news around the West:

• Nevada Current: Reno City Council extends data center moratorium, promises effort is not political
• Wyoming Public Media: Executive order paves way for Wyoming data centers while Colorado communities hit pause
• Arizona Capitol Times (Phoenix): Arizona is handing its AI future to other states — one ‘No’ vote at a time
• Politico: California voters had their first chance to be heard on data centers. They didn’t hold back.​
• The Guardian (U.K.): In first, California city overwhelmingly votes to permanently ban datacenters