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.
Ozark County
Anti-Data Center Policies
Ozark County requires data-center developers in unincorporated areas to submit plans and agreements for utilities, roads, decommissioning, nearby property rights, and emergency response, potentially adding costs and delays but not banning projects.
current law · Unincorporated areasRequires data center developers in unincorporated Ozark County to submit plans for power, water, environmental impacts, roads, decommissioning, neighbor protections, and emergency response before building or expanding.Ozark County Data Center Ordinance (2026)
What this means
For data centers in unincorporated parts of the county, developers must provide plans and agreements covering power, water, roads, decommissioning, nearby property rights, and emergency response. These requirements could add costs and delays, but they do not ban data centers and do not apply across the whole county.
People behind it
- Ozark County Commissioners
Adopted the data-center ordinance unanimously.
- Travis Elliot
Drafted an ordinance tailored to Ozark County.
Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements8
Before construction or expansion in unincorporated areas, developers must submit documents showing compliance with the ordinance. Incorporated cities and villages, and state and national lands, are outside its scope.
Developers must obtain a formal statement from the power provider confirming adequate capacity and that service will not compromise the public grid’s stability, reliability, or safety. They must pay direct infrastructure costs and required engineering studies and load calculations.
Developers must provide proof of compliance with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the EPA, including applicable permits and specified environmental documents.
Developers must submit water-use plans or analyses describing the water source, anticipated consumption, and cooling systems, along with applicable major-water-user reports or registrations.
Developers must enter a road-use agreement covering road repairs, performance bonding, and county indemnification, especially when oversized or overweight vehicles are reasonably expected on county roads. A financial agreement is also required.
If a facility closes or is abandoned, a decommissioning agreement must set a site-restoration and material-disposal timeline and estimate costs. It must be updated at least every five years.
Developers must provide an agreement protecting connecting landowners’ property rights, including limits on noise and light pollution and requirements for landscaping and visual screening. Violations must be allowed time to be fixed before permits may be revoked, work or operations stopped, or fines imposed; the cure period is not specified.
Developers must provide commissioners with legal names, mailing addresses, and 24/7 emergency contacts, and coordinate with the county emergency management director and emergency services to establish emergency-response protocols.
Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions1
If a developer violates the property-rights agreement, it has time to fix the violation before permits can be revoked or stop-work orders or fines imposed. “given a certain amount of time to fix the violations”
Sources
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