Massachusetts Requires Data Centers To Get Local Approvals in Latest Clampdown

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey has signed an executive order to prevent data centers from seeking state-level approvals without local support.Healey's new order prevents data centers over 25 megawatts from seeking state permits unless they have local approvals. She also directed the state's agencies to enforce a framework she announced this summer requiring the developments to have a clean energy supply, water resources, and community feedback before advancing.It's the latest effort as lawmakers try to rein in the fast-growing data center industry nationwide. Thousands of new data center proposals have brought impacts on the housing market and energy prices. They've also emerged as a midterms flashpoint, as political parties try to contend with how to regulate the industry.“Unless a community says yes to a data center, we are saying no,” Healey said in a statement. “We’re giving communities a voice and laying out the rules for what needs to happen in Massachusetts."A poll from NBC News released this week found 69% of respondents oppose the construction of data centers in their local area. Democrats and independents are notably more opposed than Republicans.The governor also prohib...