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.
Iowa County
This restriction takes precedence while in effect. The rating below excludes temporary restrictions.
Neutral Data Center Policies
Iowa County has enacted a 12-month pause on new data center applications and approvals in unincorporated areas, though the description frames it as a future measure. Existing centers may keep operating and perform routine maintenance, but expansions are not exempt.
Rating from Iowa statewide as there are no scored current or future laws outside temporary restrictions for Iowa County.
Specific to Iowa County only.
current law · Unincorporated areasProhibits Iowa County from accepting or approving applications for new data centers in unincorporated areas for 12 months, while exempting existing facilities and certain previously approved projects.Iowa County Resolution 2026-07-31 (2026)
What this means
The measure would pause new data center applications and approvals in unincorporated Iowa County for 12 months, making development substantially harder during that period (moratorium scope). Existing centers can keep operating and doing routine maintenance, but expansions are not exempt; the moratorium lasts (twelve months).
Timing
- Ends
- twelve (12) months from the date of its adoption
The moratorium applies to data-center applications in the unincorporated areas of Iowa County and takes effect immediately upon passage. It may be earlier rescinded or extended by a subsequent Board resolution.
People behind it
- Iowa County Board of Supervisors
Adopted and enacted Resolution 2026-07-31 establishing the twelve-month data-center moratorium.
- Montross
Moved to pass, approve, and adopt the resolution.
- Degen
Seconded the motion to pass, approve, and adopt the resolution.
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- County staff
Directed by the resolution to review data-center requests and develop proposed definitions, standards, and regulatory frameworks.
Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements2
A 12-month moratorium, effective immediately upon adoption, prohibits the acceptance, processing, consideration, or approval of any data-center subdivision, site plan, conditional-use, building-permit, rezoning, or other development application in Iowa County's unincorporated areas. The Board may rescind or extend the moratorium by later resolution. Exceptions apply to legally established operating facilities, applications with all final approvals before the resolution took effect, and routine maintenance, repairs, or non-expansion upgrades to existing lawful facilities.
The moratorium applies broadly to every type or class of data center, including enterprise, colocation, hyperscale, server-farm, cloud-computing, and similar facilities, as well as facilities primarily used for centralized digital-data storage, management, processing, or transmission or involving high-density servers, specialized cooling, or related digital infrastructure.
Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions4
Legally established data centers already operating are exempt from the moratorium and may continue operating.
Applications that received all required final approvals before the resolution took effect are exempt from the moratorium.
Routine maintenance, repairs, and upgrades to existing lawful data centers are allowed, provided they do not expand the facility or establish a new data-center use.
The moratorium applies only to unincorporated areas of Iowa County, so data-center projects in incorporated areas are outside its scope.
Sources
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