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.
City of St. Joseph
Strongly Anti-Data Center Policies
St. Joseph enacted an ordinance banning data centers and similar high-intensity computing facilities within city limits; it does not apply to unincorporated Lawrence County or other municipalities.
current law · City of St. JosephProhibits data centers from being built within St. Joseph city limits and bars the city from supplying water to data center projects outside them.Tennessee St. Joseph Ordinance No. 2026-0707 (2026)
What this means
The measure would ban data centers and similar high-intensity computing facilities within St. Joseph’s city limits, making it an outright ban there (“bans data centers”). Its effect is limited geographically: it would not apply to unincorporated Lawrence County or other municipalities (“would only apply”).
People behind it
- William R. ‘Bubba’ Carter
Mayor quoted supporting the ordinance
- Beverly White
Vice Mayor quoted expressing concern about essential services
Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements4
Final-approval coverage reports that the ordinance prohibits land inside the city from being used for the construction of data centers.
First-reading coverage describes a ban covering data centers, artificial intelligence computing facilities, cryptocurrency mining operations, and similar high-intensity digital infrastructure; final wording is not independently verified.
WSMV reports restrictions on all permits, approvals, utility extensions, or other authorizations, and an anti-circumvention clause preventing projects from being divided, renamed, phased, or structured to avoid the ban; these details derive from first-reading coverage.
For a facility outside city limits, final-approval coverage says the city will not be responsible for supplying water. This is not independently verified as an absolute prohibition on service.
Sources
Data provided by Regbase · Cookie preferences · Report missing data