Governor Janet Mills Vetoes Maine’s Data Center Ban |
Late last week, Maine’s Democratic governor Janet Mills vetoed legislation that would have placed a moratorium on the construction of new data centers in the state.
In her letter, the Governor said she supports a temporary moratorium on data center projects, and would have signed LD 307 if it included an exemption for a project now underway at the former Androscoggin Mill in Jay. “A moratorium is appropriate given the impacts of massive data centers in other states on the environment and on electricity rates. But the final version of this bill fails to allow for a specific project in the Town of Jay that enjoys strong local support from its host community and region,” Mills wrote to the Legislature. “The 2023 closure of the Androscoggin Mill dealt a devastating blow to the Town of Jay and its surrounding area. As a long-time resident of Franklin County, I know well how critical the mill was to generations of working families, and how important it is – and how........