Vermont Data Center Intel

Recent Vermont data center news

• Jul 14, 2026

  Climate Change Solutions - July 14, 2026

  The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) has published a climate and energy newsletter highlighting recent articles, congressional actions, and upcoming briefings.

  • Main announcement/action: EESI promotes an online briefing with the Natural Resources Defense Council on Thursday, July 16 at noon about tracking and reducing nitrogen fertilizer use, associated emissions, and lowering costs for farmers.
  • Background and other details: The newsletter also references a House vote on the SECURE Grid Act (H.R. 7257), a future briefing on severe drought on July 24, and archived materials on extreme heat, grid resilience, and data centers.
  • The issue is presented as a newsletter / event roundup rather than a standalone policy announcement by a company, and it includes EESI contact information at the end.
• Jul 14, 2026

  New York becomes first US state to impose data center moratorium

  New York has announced a one-year moratorium on new large-scale data centers.

  • Governor Kathy Hochul signed the order into law, immediately pausing environmental permits for projects of 50MW or more while a regulatory framework is developed.
  • The framework will include a Generic Environmental Impact Statement on energy demand, water use and quality, and air quality, and local entities will receive guidance within 60 days on community benefits negotiations; the order also directs consideration of a New York Grid Acceleration Fund.
  • The article also references earlier and proposed legislation, including S.9144 introduced by Elizabeth Krueger and a proposed national moratorium, the Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act, introduced by Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in March 2026.
• Jul 10, 2026

  Gigaland: New Packaging, Same Harmful Impacts

  The Piedmont Environmental Council is urging Fauquier County residents to oppose the Remington Digital Campus data center proposal before the July 16 Planning Commission hearing.

  • The Planning Commission hearing is set for Thursday, July 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the Warren Green Building, First Floor Meeting Room, 10 Hotel Street, Warrenton, Virginia; PEC is asking residents to submit written comments and speak in opposition.
  • The proposal, renamed from Gigaland to Remington Digital Campus, would include six data center buildings, nearly 1 million square feet, two municipal groundwater wells, a water treatment plant, a 125-foot water tower, two electrical substations, 136 backup diesel generators, and would require 600 MW of power.
• Jun 23, 2026

  Budget Decisions Don’t Address Core Data Center Issues

  The Piedmont Environmental Council announced that Virginia’s General Assembly and the governor are continuing a $2-billion-per-year tax exemption for data centers while proposing an “electricity use tax” equal to one-third of that exemption.

  • Main announcement/action: The PEC criticizes the continuation of a $2-billion-per-year tax exemption for data centers and highlights a proposed “electricity use tax” that is one-third of that exemption; the PEC calls for the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) to assign data center infrastructure costs to data centers rather than ratepayers.
  • Background and other details: The statement notes the budget compromise does not direct allocation of costs for more than 200 substations and thousands of miles of transmission lines tied to data center demand; PEC President Chris Miller urges SCC action and references other states (Michigan, Georgia, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont) that have proposed moratorium legislation on data center growth.
• Jun 18, 2026

  FERC Targets Grid Rules for Data Centers and Large Loads

  The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has ordered the nation’s six largest grid operators to justify or rewrite rules governing how large power users connect to the grid.

  • Main action: FERC issued show-cause orders to PJM, MISO, Southwest Power Pool, CAISO, ISO New England, and NYISO, requiring them to explain within 60 days why existing tariffs remain just and reasonable or to propose reforms, and directing each operator and its transmission owners to file a resource adequacy report within 30 days. The orders affect markets serving roughly 200 million Americans across more than 30 states and the District of Columbia and target five reform areas (transmission study processes; cost-allocation; co-location/behind-the-meter generation; new transmission services for flexible large loads; evaluation of proximate generation).
  • Context and details: The action builds on a Department of Energy large-load interconnection proceeding, follows review of more than 3,500 pages of comments, and is prompted by AI-driven data center demand. FERC said reforms should apply prospectively (not disturb finalized large-load arrangements) and left the broader DOE large-load docket open for potential additional action.
• Jun 11, 2026

  Sen. Cotton Alleges Chinese Influence Behind U.S. Data Center Backlash, Demands DOJ Probe

  Sen. Tom Cotton has asked the Department of Justice to investigate alleged foreign influence efforts targeting U.S. AI infrastructure and domestic opposition to data center construction.

  • Main action: Sen. Tom Cotton sent a June 10 letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche requesting a DOJ probe into what he describes as “a network of foreign actors, led by the Chinese Communist Party,” and alleges U.S. nonprofits funded by Shanghai-based Neville Roy Singham have channeled money into domestic advocacy opposing data center development.
  • Background and details:Beijing is reported to be preparing a ~$295 billion, five-year plan to finance a nationwide network of data centers (state-owned telecom companies to operate many facilities); an Ipsos poll found 64% oppose rapid AI data center construction, 77% worry about higher electricity prices, and 57% would oppose a data center in their own community. The article also cites Sen. Bernie Sanders’ recent panel (including a Tsinghua University professor) and his proposed temporary federal moratorium on new data center construction until grid and environmental impacts are studied.
• Jun 10, 2026

  Fiber Internet Companies to Reduce Prices Amid General U.S. Inflation

  Wire 3 and NEK Broadband have announced price reductions for their fiber-optic internet plans.

  • Main announcement:Wire 3 (Florida) and NEK Broadband (Vermont) are reducing prices on their fiber-optic internet plans and offering no contract and no hidden fees to create budget-friendly options for consumers. The change is presented as a response to rising costs across the U.S. and was reported on June 10, 2026.
  • Background and details: The article is a publisher report by Broadband Breakfast that highlights the two providers and their fiber-optic infrastructure; no specific price points, timelines for rollout, or contract lengths beyond “no contract” were disclosed in the article.
• Jun 10, 2026

  New York Confronts the Data Center Boom: Balancing Growth and Grid Reform

  Democratic legislators introduced a bill for a three-year moratorium on new large data centers, and Governor Kathy Hochul directed the New York State Public Service Commission to open a regulatory proceeding to reform large-load interconnections.

  • Three-year moratorium introduced by Democratic legislators: The bill would freeze state and local approvals for any new data center exceeding 20 MW for three years, require the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to conduct a comprehensive environmental review and issue regulations, and direct the state utility regulator to adopt rules preventing residential ratepayers from shouldering energy cost increases attributable to data centers.
  • Governor Hochul directed PSC to institute a proceeding under “Energize NY Development”: The PSC issued an Order Instituting Proceeding and Soliciting Comments (Case 26-E-0045) noting 11.9 GW of pending large-load projects in the NYISO queue (more than 8.3 GW entered in 2025); the Order lists six core objectives and sets initial comments due May 13, 2026 and reply comments due June 15, 2026, with a technical conference by Dec 31, 2026 and a white paper due Feb 12, 2027.
• Jun 4, 2026

  Data center developers ousted from Monterey Park as voters approve permanent ban

  Monterey Park has permanently banned data centers via Measure NDC.

  • Measure NDC approved: More than 86% of voters approved a permanent ban on data centers in Monterey Park, codifying a moratorium in effect since late January; the ban bars any new computing facilities inside city limits and can only be overturned by another citywide vote. Key local facts: city population ~62,000, a proposed 250,000-square-foot data center by HMC Capital had its application withdrawn in April.
  • Context and background: The article documents broader regional and state-level resistance — mentions a massive Box Elder County project backed by investor Kevin O’Leary, states that have introduced moratoriums or bans (Georgia, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont), and notes Maine’s legislature passed a statewide moratorium bill that was vetoed by Gov. Janet Mills.
• Jun 1, 2026

  Vermont Blocks AI Data Center Bill

  Gov. Phil Scott vetoed H. 727, an act relating to sustainable data center deployment, returning the bill unsigned on June 1, 2026.

  • Main action: Gov. Phil Scott returned H. 727 unsigned, citing “unacceptable risks to the state’s economic competitiveness” and stating the state already has adequate oversight tools in place. The bill would have imposed new regulations on AI data centers in Vermont.
  • Background/details: The article reports the veto as a rejection of the proposed sustainable data center deployment legislation; the content references the Vermont Legislature bill page (H. 727) and was published via Broadband Breakfast on June 1, 2026. No implementation timeline, funding amounts, or alternative regulatory actions were specified.