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.
La Crosse County
This restriction takes precedence while in effect. The rating below excludes temporary restrictions.
Pro-Data Center Policies
La Crosse County’s enacted measure pauses applications and permits for qualifying data centers for up to 18 months on county-zoned land; it does not affect existing centers, and municipalities decide separately.
Rating from Wisconsin statewide as there are no scored current or future laws outside temporary restrictions for La Crosse County.
Specific to La Crosse County only.
current law · County measure: Land subject to La Crosse County zoning; municipalities within the county are not coveredImposes an 18-month binding moratorium that prohibits applications and permits or approvals for siting or constructing covered data centers in La Crosse County.Wisconsin La Crosse County Board Data Center Moratorium Resolution (2026)
What this means
The measure would pause applications and permits for building qualifying data centers for up to 18 months, creating a major delay; it does not ban operation of existing centers. Its reach is limited: the moratorium applies to land zoned by the county, while municipalities can decide separately (county zoning land only).
Timing
- Ends
- 18 months from the date this resolution is published, or earlier when the County Board adopts amendments to the Zoning Ordinance recommended by the ad hoc committee or rescinds the moratorium, or both.
People behind it
- Dillon Mader
Crafted the moratorium legislation with Lia Manock.
- Lia Manock
Crafted the moratorium legislation with Dillon Mader.
Restrictions & requirementsHide restrictions & requirements1
For 18 months from publication—or until the County Board adopts zoning amendments recommended by the study committee or rescinds the moratorium—the County will not accept applications or grant permits or approvals for data-center siting or construction. The measure defines covered facilities as one or more facilities able to store, process, retrieve, or distribute more than 1 petabyte of data or consume more than 2 MW of electricity.
Benefits & exceptionsHide benefits & exceptions3
Data centers remain an authorized use in the Light Industrial and Industrial zoning districts, subject to the temporary moratorium and any later zoning amendments.
Facilities that do not store, process, retrieve, or distribute more than 1 petabyte of data and do not consume more than 2 megawatts of electricity are outside the measure’s definition of a “data center,” so they are not subject to this moratorium’s data-center-specific prohibition.
The moratorium is temporary: it lasts 18 months from publication, unless it ends earlier through zoning amendments or County Board rescission, allowing covered data-center applications to resume afterward unless other restrictions are adopted.
Sources
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