Pocatello, in Bannock County, Idaho, adopted a data-center project rejection on May 18, 2026. Its status in this snapshot is enacted.
The record reads: "A Pocatello hearing examiner denied a conditional-use permit for a data center on the former Hoku polysilicon site (about $2.26B projected), citing insufficient water and design detail. The developer, Lex Developments, vowed to return… (datacentertracker.org)."
Details
| Action | Class | Status | Date | MW threshold | Scope | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project rejection | restriction | enacted | May 18, 2026 | not county-wide | datacentertracker.org |
Jurisdiction type: municipality. County: Bannock County. Dataset: datacentertracker. Snapshot August 15, 2026; documented actions, not a census.
Idaho context
Idaho has 3 documented local actions across 3 jurisdictions in this snapshot. At the state level, the state has a ratepayer-protection law (enacted).
A town that says no to a data center gives up local tax revenue, not jobs: one large campus pays $2M to $90M a year depending on the tax regime, against roughly 50 permanent jobs. The parent piece prices it and lists the conditions that beat a ban.