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 County
This restriction takes precedence while in effect. The rating below excludes temporary restrictions.
Slightly Pro-Data Center Policies
Warren County bars acceptance, processing, and approval of most data-center development applications in unincorporated and planning areas until August 19, 2027; this is a temporary pause, not a permanent ban.
Rating from North Carolina statewide as there are no scored current or future laws outside temporary restrictions for Warren County.
Specific to Warren County only.
current law · Unincorporated areas and any area under Warren County’s planning and zoning jurisdictionImposes a 12-month moratorium, effective August 19, 2026 through 11:59 p.m. on August 19, 2027, in Warren County’s unincorporated areas and areas under county planning and zoning jurisdiction on development approvals for data centers and related facilities, including special-use, conditional-use, rezoning, building, and other legally required approvals, subject to exemptions under N.C.Warren County Temporary Moratorium on Development Approvals for Data Centers and Related High-Impact Facilities (2026)
What this means
The measure pauses acceptance, processing, and approval of most development applications for data centers and related uses across the county’s unincorporated and planning areas for 12 months, creating a major temporary barrier to building or expanding them (“shall not accept, process, or approve”). It is not a permanent ban and is set to expire August 19, 2027 (“until 11:59 p.m. August 19, 2027”), so it fits the scale’s category for a temporary moratorium of 24 months or less.
Timing
- Ends
- Aug 19, 2027
The 12-month moratorium is effective from 2026-08-19 until 11:59 p.m. on 2027-08-19. It may be earlier terminated, extended, or modified by the Board in accordance with North Carolina law.
People behind it
- Warren County Board of Commissioners
Adopted the ordinance imposing the 12-month moratorium on data centers and related high-impact facilities.
- Warren County Planning Board
Recommended a 12-month data-center moratorium and was assigned a role in developing and reviewing future regulations.
- Mark Bloomer
Warren County Planning, Zoning and Code Enforcement Director who presented the measure, prepared supporting materials, and administered the planning process.
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- Al Cooper
Chair of the Warren County Board of Commissioners who signed the adopted moratorium ordinance.
Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements1
A 12-month moratorium, effective August 19, 2026 through 11:59 p.m. August 19, 2027, prohibits Warren County from accepting, processing, or approving new applications for special-use permits, conditional-use permits, rezonings, building permits, or other legally required development approvals for data centers and similar related facilities. It applies throughout the County’s unincorporated areas and other areas under County planning and zoning jurisdiction, subject to the specific statutory exemptions in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 160D-107(c).
Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions3
The moratorium excludes projects covered by the statutory exemptions in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 160D-107(c), including projects with valid building permits, complete special-use-permit applications, approved site-specific vesting plans, qualifying good-faith expenditures based on prior approvals, and subdivision plats accepted for review before the moratorium hearing.
The proposed Ratepayer Protection Act would require the Department of Environmental Quality to create an express review program for permits, authorizations, and certifications required for energy-generation, fuel, distribution, and transmission projects, potentially streamlining approval of power infrastructure serving data centers.
The proposed Ratepayer Protection Act would require electric utilities to offer data centers service contracts with minimum-billing, long-term cost-recovery, credit-protection, and termination provisions, providing a defined framework for obtaining and maintaining electric service.
Sources
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