Massachusetts data center moratoriums
As of 31 Oct 2026, we count at least 5 local data center pauses in force in Massachusetts, 3 bans and 15 proposals, across its counties, cities and townships. At state level, a bill or proposal is pending.
- 5 pauses in force · 3 bans · 15 proposed
- 0 pauses end within 60 days
- Checked: 14 counties, 19 cities, 37 townships · 23 on tracker
Cite this page
Source: Grounded Compute, Massachusetts moratorium tracker, 31 Oct 2026. https://groundedcompute.com/us/massachusetts/moratoriums
Every row below has its source and the date we checked it. For reporters: contact and corrections
State level · Bill or proposal, not passed
20 megawatts or more
malegislature.govGovernment confirmedChecked 31 Oct 2026
Not counted in the local figures above.
Expiring by 30 Dec 2026
None in the next 60 days
Moratorium map · counties
- Ban: 0 counties
- Pause (active or extended): 0 counties
- Pause proposed: 0 counties
- End date passed, no update found: 0 counties
- Ended, expired or none found: 14 counties
- No government or news source found: 0 counties
- Township: ban
- Township: pause
- Township: pause proposed
- City: ban
- City: pause
- City: pause proposed
- 14 counties checked · 31 Oct 2026
- Cities on the tracker drawn as dots (13)
- Townships on the tracker (10) drawn as one square at their county's centre
- Schematic; outlines: US Census
Tracker · 23 bans, pauses and proposals
- Rows grouped under their count; each count matches the figures at the top
- 5 government confirmed · 18 news reported
- Ended pauses and no-pause checks: on the map only. We checked counties, cities and townships; nothing found is not proof that none exists
- Method
| Jurisdiction | Status | Covers | End | Permanent rules | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bans (3) | |||||
| Haverhill (city, Essex) | Ban | – | – | Rules adopted | govtech.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Holyoke (city, Hampden) | Ban | – | – | Rules adopted | masslive.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Salem (city, Essex) | Ban | – | – | Rules adopted | patch.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Pauses in force (5) | |||||
| East Bridgewater Town (Plymouth County) | Pause | Other | – | – | southshore.news News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Leominster (city, Worcester) | Pause | All data centers | 31 Jul 2027 | – | fireengineering.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Lowell (city, Middlesex) | Pause | All data centers | 5 Mar 2027 | Rules drafted | lowellma.gov Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Plymouth Town (Plymouth County) | Pause | All data centers | 16 Oct 2027 | – | patriotledger.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Westfield (city, Hampden) | Pause | All data centers | – | – | thereminder.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Proposed (15) | |||||
| Ashland Town (Middlesex County) | Pause proposed | Other | – | – | metrowestdailynews.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Beverly (city, Essex) | Pause proposed | All data centers | – | Rules drafted | patch.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Boston (city, Suffolk) | Pause proposed | – | – | Rules drafted | boston.legistar.com Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Chicopee (city, Hampden) | Pause proposed | – | – | – | masslive.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| East Longmeadow Town (Hampden County) | Pause proposed | – | – | – | thereminder.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Essex Town (Essex County) | Pause proposed | All data centers | 1 Jan 2028 | Rules drafted | essexma.org Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Fitchburg (city, Worcester) | Pause proposed | Above a size threshold: Large-scale data centers; threshold not specified in the agenda | – | – | fitchburgma.gov Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Hudson Town (Middlesex County) | Pause proposed | Other | – | – | metrowestdailynews.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Ludlow Town (Hampden County) | Pause proposed | – | – | – | masslive.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Marblehead Town (Essex County) | Pause proposed | – | – | – | marbleheadcurrent.org News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Milford Town (Worcester County) | Pause proposed | Other | – | – | metrowestdailynews.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| New Bedford (city, Bristol) | Pause proposed | All data centers | – | Rules drafted | newbedfordlight.org News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Northampton (city, Hampshire) | Pause proposed | All data centers | – | Rules drafted | thereminder.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Northfield Town (Franklin County) | Pause proposed | All data centers | – | Rules drafted | northfieldma.gov Government confirmed Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
| Pittsfield (city, Berkshire) | Pause proposed | All data centers | 31 Dec 2028 | Rules drafted | iberkshires.com News reported Checked 31 Oct 2026 |
– = not found in the sources we checked
Source: Grounded Compute, Massachusetts moratorium tracker, 31 Oct 2026. https://groundedcompute.com/us/massachusetts/moratoriums
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