Janet Mills undecided on signing bill to ban data centers in Maine

Key Points:

• Maine Governor Janet Mills has not yet decided whether to sign a Legislature-passed bill imposing a statewide moratorium on new data centers until fall 2027, citing concerns about the legislation's lack of a carveout for a project in the economically struggling town of Jay.
• The moratorium bill responds to growing local opposition to large, energy-intensive data centers linked to the artificial intelligence industry, reflecting wider national debates on their environmental and economic impacts.
• Mills highlighted the loss of two paper mills in Jay and the potential job benefits a data center project could bring to the community, emphasizing her desire for an exemption for Jay in the moratorium.
• She expressed environmental concerns regarding data centers' electricity and water consumption, noting the proposed data center's location on the Androscoggin River and comparing its water use to that of the former paper mill.
• While Mills acknowledged the possibility of vetoing the bill to request revisions, she indicated it would be difficult due to legislative timing, as lawmakers are only scheduled to return for a single veto day.