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.
Warren Township
Strongly Anti-Data Center Policies
Warren prohibits data centers and related uses in every zoning district, effectively barring new facilities and expansions. The ordinance is labeled enacted, though its description refers to the measure as if it were proposed.
current law · Township of WarrenEstablishes a zoning prohibition on data centers in every district, defines covered facilities, removes them from the General Industrial District’s permitted uses, and provides supplementary standards for any application, including renewable or clean energy, separation of power infrastructure, setbacks from property lines and sensitive receptors, noise studies, impact reports, and decommissioning financial assurance.Warren Township Ordinance No. 26-19 (2026)
What this means
The measure would prohibit data centers and related uses in every zoning district in Warren, effectively banning new facilities and expansions there (“All Data Centers and any and all uses related to the same”). Additional operating standards are included for applications, but they do not offset the town-wide prohibition.
People behind it
- Daniel Croson
Introduced Ordinance 26-19.
Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements13
Defines a data center to include facilities primarily used to store, manage, or process digital or electronic data, and says any use with a power density of 2 to 4 watts or more per acre is considered a data center.
Prohibits data centers and all uses related to them in every zoning district, and removes data centers from the General Industrial District’s permitted-use list.
Bars data centers anywhere in the Township and specifies a 200-foot separation from property lines with sensitive-receptor uses, including schools, health facilities, parks, places of worship, and certain residences.
Treats electrical substations, energy-generation systems, and specified voltage-transformation, transmission, or switching facilities serving a data center as separate principal uses; they cannot be on the same tract as a data center.
Requires cooling and operating systems to be adequate and not negatively affect the surrounding region, and requires disclosure of applicable energy-storage capacity.
Requires a facility to use only renewable or clean energy and makes the data center responsible for all costs of related new generation, transmission, or distribution infrastructure.
Requires that a data center not cause electrical interference or line-voltage fluctuations on or off its premises.
Requires a heat-waste recovery system.
Requires pre- and post-construction sound studies covering exterior rooftop and ground-mounted utility functions. Studies must be conducted by an INCE Board Certified Engineer and reviewed and approved by an engineer selected by the Township who has noise-control experience.
Requires data-center buildings to be at least 300 feet from any property line.
Requires noise-reduction barriers or devices regardless of noise levels.
Requires qualified professionals to prepare environmental and community impact reports assessing effects on emergency services, water, sewage, solid waste, schools and school budgets, municipal finances, stormwater, and likely environmental impacts.
Requires a decommissioning bond or similar financial assurance sufficient to cover future site cleanup, infrastructure removal, and environmental remediation.
Sources
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