Maine Governor Vetoes Bill To Pause New Data Center Projects
Maine Governor Janet Mills this week vetoed a bill that would have paused approvals of large data centers statewide, deepening debate over energy and water impacts.
The veto blocks LD 307, which would have created a Maine Data Center Coordination Council and frozen large data center permits until November 2027. Lawmakers passed the measure in April without the governor's requested exemption for a proposed $550 million redevelopment of the shuttered Androscoggin Mill in Jay. Environmental groups called the bill a necessary pause to study grid and water strain, while local officials and industry leaders said the veto protects jobs and investment.
The episode traces back to the 2023 closure of the Androscoggin Mill after a digester explosion, which eliminated more than 230 jobs and left Jay seeking new economic anchors. A rush of proposals followed the national spike in AI and cloud demand. That included a $300 million AI data center pitched for Lewiston's Bates Mill that the city council rejected in December 2025. Representative Melanie Sachs introduced LD 307 in January 2025 to pause permitting while a review panel crafts rules. Data centers used roughly 176 terawatt-hours nationwide in 2023, about 4.4% of U.S. electricity, while Maine generated about 15 million megawatt-hours in 2024 with 57% from renewables.
The veto leaves projects moving forward while the state lacks the temporary pause advocates wanted to study long-term impacts on grids and water supplies. Social media reaction ranged from warnings the move could harm Mills politically to calls for other states to consider moratoriums ahead of more research. Supporters say the veto protects investment and jobs, while critics want clear rules that limit the energy and water demands of big computing projects.
Show source details & analysis (1 source)
📊 Relevant Data
The proposed data center in Jay, Maine, for which Governor Mills sought an exemption, is a $550 million project to redevelop the site of the former Androscoggin Mill, which closed in 2023 following a digester explosion. ([ENR](https://www.enr.com/articles/62842-maine-moves-to-pause-data-centers-before-demand-arrives)) ([ENR](https://www.enr.com/articles/62842-maine-moves-to-pause-data-centers-before-demand-arrives)) ([ENR](https://www.enr.com/articles/62842-maine-moves-to-pause-data-centers-before-demand-arrives)) ([ENR](https://www.enr.com/articles/62842-maine-moves-to-pause-data-centers-before-demand-arrives)) ([ENR](https://www.enr.com/articles/62842-maine-moves-to-pause-data-centers-before-demand-arrives)) ([ENR](https://www.enr.com/articles/62842-maine-moves-to-pause-data-centers-before-demand-arrives)) ([ENR](https://www.enr.com/articles/62842-maine-moves-to-pause-data-centers-before-demand-arrives)) ([ENR](https://www.enr.com/articles/62842-maine-moves-to-pause-data-centers-before-demand-arrives)) ([ENR](https://www.enr.com/articles/62842-maine-moves-to-pause-data-centers-before-demand-arrives)) ([ENR](https://www.enr.com/articles/62842-maine-moves-to-pause-data-centers-before-demand-arrives)) ([ENR](https://www.enr.com/articles/62842-maine-moves-to-pause-data-centers-before-demand-arrives)) ([ENR](https://www.enr.com/articles/62842-maine-moves-to-pause-data-centers-before-demand-arrives)) ([ENR](https://www.enr.com/articles/62842-maine-moves-to-pause-data-centers-before-demand-arrives))
Maine Moves to Pause Data Centers Before Demand Arrives — ENR
The vetoed bill, LD 307, would have established a Maine Data Center Coordination Council to study and recommend regulations on data centers, focusing on their energy consumption and environmental impact during the moratorium period. ([Maine Morning Star](https://mainemorningstar.com/2026/04/22/as-gov-mills-weighs-data-center-ban-projects-mixed-on-what-the-impact-would-be)) ([Maine Morning Star](https://mainemorningstar.com/2026/04/22/as-gov-mills-weighs-data-center-ban-projects-mixed-on-what-the-impact-would-be)) ([Maine Morning Star](https://mainemorningstar.com/2026/04/22/as-gov-mills-weighs-data-center-ban-projects-mixed-on-what-the-impact-would-be)) ([Maine Morning Star](https://mainemorningstar.com/2026/04/22/as-gov-mills-weighs-data-center-ban-projects-mixed-on-what-the-impact-would-be)) ([Maine Morning Star](https://mainemorningstar.com/2026/04/22/as-gov-mills-weighs-data-center-ban-projects-mixed-on-what-the-impact-would-be)) ([Maine Morning Star](https://mainemorningstar.com/2026/04/22/as-gov-mills-weighs-data-center-ban-projects-mixed-on-what-the-impact-would-be)) ([Maine Morning Star](https://mainemorningstar.com/2026/04/22/as-gov-mills-weighs-data-center-ban-projects-mixed-on-what-the-impact-would-be)) ([Maine Morning Star](https://mainemorningstar.com/2026/04/22/as-gov-mills-weighs-data-center-ban-projects-mixed-on-what-the-impact-would-be)) ([Maine Morning Star](https://mainemorningstar.com/2026/04/22/as-gov-mills-weighs-data-center-ban-projects-mixed-on-what-the-impact-would-be)) ([Maine Morning Star](https://mainemorningstar.com/2026/04/22/as-gov-mills-weighs-data-center-ban-projects-mixed-on-what-the-impact-would-be)) ([Maine Morning Star](https://mainemorningstar.com/2026/04/22/as-gov-mills-weighs-data-center-ban-projects-mixed-on-what-the-impact-would-be)) ([Maine Morning Star](https://mainemorningstar.com/2026/04/22/as-gov-mills-weighs-data-center-ban-projects-mixed-on-what-the-impact-would-be)) ([Maine Morning Star](https://mainemorningstar.com/2026/04/22/as-gov-mills-weighs-data-center-ban-projects-mixed-on-what-the-impact-would-be))
As Gov. Mills weighs data center ban, projects mixed on what the impact would be — Maine Morning Star
U.S. data centers consumed approximately 176 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2023, accounting for about 4.4% of total U.S. electricity use. ([Congressional Research Service](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48646)) ([Congressional Research Service](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48646)) ([Congressional Research Service](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48646)) ([Congressional Research Service](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48646)) ([Congressional Research Service](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48646)) ([Congressional Research Service](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48646)) ([Congressional Research Service](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48646)) ([Congressional Research Service](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48646)) ([Congressional Research Service](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48646)) ([Congressional Research Service](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48646)) ([Congressional Research Service](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48646)) ([Congressional Research Service](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48646)) ([Congressional Research Service](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48646))
Data Centers and Their Energy Consumption — Congressional Research Service
Maine's net electricity generation in 2024 was approximately 15 million megawatt-hours, with renewable sources providing 57% of the total. ([U.S. Energy Information Administration](https://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/maine)) ([U.S. Energy Information Administration](https://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/maine)) ([U.S. Energy Information Administration](https://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/maine)) ([U.S. Energy Information Administration](https://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/maine)) ([U.S. Energy Information Administration](https://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/maine)) ([U.S. Energy Information Administration](https://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/maine)) ([U.S. Energy Information Administration](https://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/maine)) ([U.S. Energy Information Administration](https://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/maine)) ([U.S. Energy Information Administration](https://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/maine)) ([U.S. Energy Information Administration](https://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/maine)) ([U.S. Energy Information Administration](https://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/maine)) ([U.S. Energy Information Administration](https://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/maine)) ([U.S. Energy Information Administration](https://www.eia.gov/electricity/state/maine))
Maine Electricity Profile 2024 — U.S. Energy Information Administration
📌 Key Facts
- Gov. Janet Mills vetoed a data-center moratorium bill on Friday
- The bill would have paused large data-center projects in Maine until November 2027
- Maine’s Democratic-majority legislature had passed the bill earlier this month
- Mills had sought an exemption for at least one specific data-center site, which was not included
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