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Regbase

The Data Center Divide

Butte County

Slightly Anti-Data Center Policies

South Dakota requires data centers using at least 10 megawatts to have separate electricity-service terms and cover attributed costs; water notices, local supply reviews, possible limits, and public reporting also apply. The utility commission may charge for reviewing certain agreements.

Rating and summary from South Dakota statewide as there are no scored current or future laws outside temporary restrictions for Butte County.

Specific to Butte County only.

pending · County measure
This proposed anti-data-center measure would impose a five-year moratorium on data-center development in Butte County.Butte County Five-Year Data Center Moratorium Proposal (2026)

Sources

pending · County measure
Would prohibit data centers in Butte County, but the ordinance itself has not yet been created or implemented.Butte County Prohibition of Data Centers Ordinance (2026)

What this means

If enacted, the measure would require Butte County to adopt an ordinance prohibiting data-center construction, effectively blocking new facilities in the county. The sources do not say it would shut down existing centers, but the countywide construction ban is an outright bar on creating new ones.

People behind it

  • Spearheaded the effort to put the data-center measure on the ballot.

  • Would have to pass an ordinance prohibiting data-center construction if voters approved the measure, as described in the ballot-measure explanation.

Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements1

  • A yes vote requires Butte County commissioners to create an ordinance prohibiting data-center construction in the county; the measure does not specify additional operating rules or exceptions. ordinance prohibiting the construction of data centers

Sources

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