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.
East Brunswick Township
Strongly Anti-Data Center Policies
East Brunswick Township has enacted an ordinance barring data centers in commercial, business, and industrial zoning districts; its description uses future-oriented wording, but the law is labeled enacted.
current law · Township of East BrunswickThis ordinance amends Chapter 228 of the East Brunswick Township zoning code to define data centers broadly and prohibit them as a use in the township’s commercial, business, and industrial zoning districts.East Brunswick Township Ordinance 26-21 (2026)
What this means
The ordinance would prohibit data centers in commercial, business, and industrial zoning districts, where such facilities would typically be built. That amounts to an outright ban within its stated scope, with no offsetting benefits for building, expanding, or operating data centers (prohibit the use of data centers in commercial, business, and industrial zoning districts).
People behind it
- Township Council of East Brunswick
Introduced Ordinance No. 26-21 and adopted it on second reading.
- Dana Zimbicki
Township Council President identified on the ordinance as it was introduced on July 27, 2026.
- Tamar Lawful
Municipal Clerk responsible for ordinance notices, public availability, and forwarding the ordinance for Planning Board review.
Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements4
Prohibits data centers as a land use in the Township’s commercial, business, industrial, and other listed zoning districts, including facilities in the C-1, C-2, C-3, HC-1, HC-2, HC-3, I/M, O/I, OP-1, OP-2, P-1, MXD, MXD2, MXD3, MSMXD, Town Green, and historic-district zones.
Defines “Data Center” broadly to include facilities primarily used to store, manage, or process digital data, including hyperscale and colocation facilities, cloud-computing infrastructure, cryptocurrency-mining operations, artificial-intelligence processing facilities, and other high-density digital infrastructure, regardless of how the facility is labeled.
The prohibition also covers typical accessory infrastructure associated with data centers, such as electrical substations, transformers, generators, redundant power supplies, cooling and environmental-control systems, fire-suppression systems, and security facilities.
The ordinance does not take effect immediately upon adoption; it becomes effective 20 days after final passage, adoption, and publication as required by law.
Sources
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