Socorro County, NM One-Year Moratorium on Data Centers

Socorro County, New Mexico commissioners voted unanimously on June 9, 2026 to impose a one-year moratorium on data centers and related infrastructure on unincorporated county land. More than 80 residents packed the hearing and applauded the vote, following months of opposition to a Canadian company's proposal to build a data center and solar array on roughly 10,000 acres. The moratorium also creates an advisory committee of experts and residents to study impacts and recommend permanent regulations.

Technical detail

Socorro County Board of Commissioners unanimous vote (June 9, 2026) imposing a one-year moratorium on data centers and related infrastructure projects in unincorporated Socorro County; creates a community-and-expert advisory committee to study water, land, and scientific-resource impacts and recommend regulations. Prompted by Mpower Technologies (Green Data Center) proposal for a ~10,000-acre data center and solar campus; NM Tech and Green Data had announced a mutual project pause the prior week.

Who is protected: Socorro County residents, particularly in areas near the proposed Green Data Center site

Who must comply: Data center developers proposing projects in unincorporated Socorro County

Key facts

Related data-center siting and energy rules elsewhere

• SB 484 (FL Data Center Costs) · In effect
• Maine Data Center Moratorium (vetoed) · Vetoed
• VA Data Center Siting Bill (Vetoed) · Vetoed
• VA Data Center Tax Exemption · In effect
• VA Data Center Cost-Allocation Law · In effect
• Texas SB 6 (Data Center Grid Law) · In effect