Wiscasset's selectboard Aug. 18 was poised to consider Selectman Heather Jones' proposal to put on the November ballot a would-be moratorium, or temporary ban, on data centers. The proposal comes a year after the town heard from, and talked with, an agent for a data center outfit interested in the town-owned Old Ferry Road property. 

"The questions and comments I heard most during the campaign (for selectman) were about data centers," Jones told Wiscasset Newspaper Monday. "For or against, people want to be involved in the discussion. This ordinance creates that opportunity, as the next steps will be to consider the impacts of large-scale data centers and update our ordinances to reflect our community standards."

A draft of the would-be moratorium states the town's ordinances were not written with data centers in mind and don't adequately address a center's potential impacts on the local "electric grid, water supply, and wastewater capacity, noise levels, light pollution, visual character, traffic, and overall quality of life. Without careful study and the adoption of appropriate local standards, the development of one or more data centers within the Town could impose substantial and potentially irreversible burdens on the Town's infrastructure, natural resources, ratepayers, and residents.

"The Town requires time to study these potential impacts, to consult with relevant state agencies, utilities, and other municipalities, and to consider whether and how to amend its Ordinances to adequately regulate data center development, if at all. It is therefore necessary and in the public interest to temporarily suspend the acceptance, processing, and approval of applications related to data center development within the Town, pending further study," the draft states.

The draft calls for a six-month moratorium, which selectmen could extend for "one or more terms of not more than 180 days if (the board) finds that the need ... still exists and reasonable progress is being made ..."

Town Manager Dennis Simmons discusses Jones' proposal in his report to selectmen ahead of the meeting. Simmons writes, "This (proposed ballot item) is not about saying 'never' to data centers; it is about making sure we understand what we are considering and have the right rules in place first. It gives us an opportunity to update our ordinances to provide clear standards and appropriate protections before any project moves forward.

Simmons' report also refers to the board's vote last November to pause taking proposals for that town property and another until a process is decided for fielding them.

"The Select Board has already taken a cautious approach by, in effect, establishing a de facto moratorium on data center development on two Town-owned properties, Mason Station and Old Ferry Road. This (moratorium) would strengthen that position by extending the pause town-wide, giving us time to assess the potential impacts of data centers on our community, including infrastructure, electricity and water use, noise, land use, and the environment. This (draft) has been reviewed and edited by the town attorney."

The proposal would be posted for public comment and face a Sept. 1 public hearing; after the hearing, the board can consider certifying the proposal for the Nov. 3 ballot; another hearing would happen at least 10 days before the town vote. 

If the moratorium passes, town staff would work with the planning board "and other third parties" on proposed ordinance changes that would face board meetings before a final draft goes to town meeting voters, according to Simmons' manager's report.

A press release last week from Young's Point Road's Richard Davis representing citizens' group Protect Wiscasset encouraged media and other public attendance Aug. 18. The release states, "Protect Wiscasset is a citizen-led organization working to inform and educate residents about proposed hyperscale data center development in Wiscasset and to encourage responsible development of town-owned properties."

The meeting is at 6 p.m. Aug. 18 at the town office and over Zoom. Find the clickable Zoom link on the agenda at wiscasset.gov

Look for meeting results at wiscassetnewspaper.com and in the Aug. 27 print edition.