Durham could be the latest municipality in the Triangle to temporarily pause any data center construction.
The Durham City Council is expected to hear a proposal for a two-year moratorium on data centers, data processing facilities, and cryptocurrency mining during its May 4 meeting. Supporters of the proposal plan to rally at city hall before a public hearing is held.
Under the proposal, the two years would be used to study the impacts of those facilities during which time the council would be prevented from approving any development of them. The moratorium’s goal is to allow the city to research, develop policy, and create legislation.
City Councilmember Nate Baker, who is bringing the proposal, said the moratorium would allow the city to establish regulations for data centers, which can have “a number of detrimental impacts.” Large hyperscale data centers, which support massive data storage and processing and can train and run AI, are of particular concern.
“This is about being conservative, proactive on a rapidly changing and evolving issue before it becomes a problem here in our city,” Baker said during the council’s Thursday work session. “We’re just trying to take a cool, calm, collected approach to this issue.”
The proposal will come three weeks after Apex approved a one-year moratorium on data centers and two weeks after Orange County did the same. Chatham County also enacted a one-year moratorium earlier this year. The temporary bans are similarly designed to allow officials time to gather research and approve regulations for data centers. According to an agenda memo from Baker to the City Council, Durham “has observed a recent increase in inquiries and potential applications for data centers and cryptocurrency mining operations.”
As Durham’s proposed ordinance outlines, it will give the city time to develop “zoning standards and mitigation methods for these intensive land use types which may cause detrimental harm to the natural environment and the quality of life of City residents.” It will also allow the city to update its Unified Development Ordinance, which designates property zonings, to include data centers under its regulations.
A number of Durhamites have organized to support the moratorium.
One of them is Leslie St Dre, the founder of local housing and environmental justice group Community Land and Power. The group has led the way in creating the Stop Data Centers in Durham Coalition, which is advocating for the ordinance.
St Dre said they are hoping for the “longest and strongest” moratorium Durham can pass.
“We need more people to understand the harms of AI, to mental health, to the economy, to folks that are already overpoliced, to the ways that ICE is using the data from AI,” St Dre said. “We’re hoping to start talking to more people about those intersections, too.”
St Dre said some of their concerns lie with air, water, and noise pollution from data centers, in addition to the amount of energy and land they require.
These are concerns Bonita Green, president of the Merrick-Moore Community Development Corporation, shares. Merrick-Moore already deals with noise pollution from Interstate 885, Green said, something the community does not want to exacerbate.
If the moratorium passes, Green said she hopes the city will use the two years to conduct “true and honest” research about the impacts hyperscale data centers could have, as well as share that information transparently. Green said she would also like there to be accountability for companies to not pass on costs or cleanup to residents.
“I feel that our elected officials need to show a little bit more empathy and concern for people, and not just looking at up-front revenue,” Green said.
Last year, Charla Rios, a Durham resident and artist, co-curated a local exhibit that explored the relationship between AI, fascism, and climate disaster.
Rios said she is concerned with the amount of water data centers consume, particularly while the Triangle is experiencing a drought. Another concern, she said, is energy use and future costs, as Duke Energy is proposing a 15% rate hike.
“I would like us to really be critical and thoughtful and intentional and slow down and think about how big tech is impacting us currently and understand that the future is not defined,” Rios said. “It is defined by us. It’s easy to feel like it’s settled. AI is here, you adopt it. You get in line, or you’re going to get left behind. And that isn’t necessarily the case.”
The proposed moratorium will be brought to the City Council next week, at which time council members can pass or fail the temporary ban. While the council didn’t discuss the moratorium during its work session last week, Mayor Leo Williams indicated he will support the measure.
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