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.
City of Cambridge
This restriction takes precedence while in effect. The rating below excludes temporary restrictions.
Mixed Data Center Policies
Cambridge’s descriptions conflict: the moratorium is labeled enacted, while its summary calls it proposed. It would pause processing permits, rezoning, and other applications for data center projects for one year.
Rating from Minnesota statewide as there are no scored current or future laws outside temporary restrictions for City of Cambridge.
current law · City of CambridgeProhibits Cambridge from processing or approving data-center-related permits and applications for one year while the city studies potential regulations.City of Cambridge one-year data center moratorium (2026)
What this means
The proposed one-year moratorium would block data center projects by stopping related permit, rezoning, and other applications from being processed during that time (applications would not be processed or approved). Although temporary, this is a major development barrier, with no stated exception for building, expanding, or operating a data center.
Timing
Published summary confirms a one-year moratorium under Minnesota Statutes section 462.355, subdivision 4. Exact commencement, expiration, exceptions and early-termination terms are unverified without the full ordinance; no calendar expiration is inferred.
People behind it
- Marcia Westover
Community and Economic Development Director; presented the staff overview.
- Monica Seiberlich
City Clerk/Assistant to the City Administrator; attests summary publication.
Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements2
Imposes a one-year moratorium on data centers.
Covers building permits, rezoning requests, conditional use permits, variances and applications regarding data centers, barring processing, issuance, recommendations for approval and approval during the pause.
Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions1
No affirmative incentives or permissions are identified in the attached summary publication and reporting; the full ordinance was not obtained, so absence is not conclusively established.
Sources
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