The Data Center Divide
A policy snapshot ahead of the 2026 midterms. Mapping data center incentives, restrictions, and bans through legislation, regulations, and executive actions across all 50 states and 1,462 local jurisdictions.
Parke County
Anti-Data Center Policies
Parke County’s enacted ordinance requires data centers to avoid affecting local electricity and water supplies and use closed-loop, non-evaporating cooling, making development harder but not banning it.
current law · County measureProhibits data centers from relying on local electricity or water beyond ordinary office needs and requires closed-loop, non-evaporative cooling systems.Parke County Data Center Ordinance (2026)
What this means
The ordinance would make data center development substantially harder by requiring centers to avoid affecting local electricity and water supplies and to use closed-loop, non-evaporating cooling. It is not a complete ban, since a center meeting those conditions could still be built and operated.
People behind it
- Parke County Board of Commissioners
Voted to pass the data center ordinance.
Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements2
A data center must be independent of the local electrical grid; ordinary office needs such as restrooms, drinking water and maintenance are excepted. It may not affect local electric supply beyond normal office requirements. The electrical-grid requirement
A data center may not rely on local water resources for cooling; cooling must use closed-loop, non-evaporating systems. Its effect on local water supply must not exceed normal office requirements. The water and cooling requirements
Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions1
The ordinance allows data centers that meet its limits: they must be independent of the local electric grid except for usual office needs, use closed-loop non-evaporating cooling rather than local water for cooling, and have no impact on local electricity or water beyond normal office requirements. The county’s data-center requirements
Sources
Specific to Parke County only.
expired · County measureProhibits data centers in Parke County unless they operate independently of the local electricity grid and water supply, except for usual office needs.Parke County Data Center Moratorium (2025)
What this means
The measure would ban data centers unless they operate independently of the local electricity grid and water supply, beyond ordinary office needs (“banning data centers”). That exception leaves a path for projects, but the requirement would make most development substantially harder.
Timing
The Brazil Times reports a moratorium passed the previous year that had been approaching expiration; no exact adoption or expiration date was verified. Source: historical moratorium report.
People behind it
- Parke County Board of Commissioners
Voted to pass the ordinance banning data centers that are not independent from the local grid and water supply, apart from usual and customary office needs.
Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements1
A historical data-center moratorium is reported, but its precise prohibitions, exemptions, and enforcement provisions remain unverified.
Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions1
Not verified: the underlying 2025 moratorium text was not obtained. Do not attribute the separate 2026 ordinance's exceptions to this measure.
Sources
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