Gov. Mills Weighs Signing Maine’s First Data‑Center Moratorium

**TL;DR** **Gov. Janet Mills has not yet decided whether to sign Maine’s first data‑center moratorium, which would block new facilities until fall 2027.** She says she will read the bill carefully and wants a carveout for the struggling Jay paper‑mill site.

**Context** The Legislature passed a measure earlier this week that imposes a statewide moratorium on new data centers until the fall of 2027. The bill comes amid growing local opposition to large, energy‑intensive facilities that support artificial intelligence workloads. Mills, a Democrat running for the U.S. Senate, said the legislation lacks a carveout she sought for a project in Jay, where two paper mills have closed in recent years.

**Key Facts** The bill would ban new data centers in Maine until fall 2027. The former paper mill in Jay used roughly 40‑million gallons of water per day. Gov. Janet Mills said she has not yet decided whether to sign the data‑center moratorium bill and will read it carefully.

**What It Means** If Mills signs the bill, developers cannot build new data centers in the state for roughly three years, which could slow investment in AI‑related infrastructure. A veto or inaction would allow the measure to become law without her signature, but Mills noted that asking the Legislature for a rewrite would be difficult because lawmakers only return for a single veto day. Her decision will signal how Maine balances economic development in distressed communities with environmental concerns about water and electricity consumption.

Watch to see whether Mills signs, vetoes, or lets the bill become law without action within the next 10 days, and whether she pursues a separate carveout for Jay.