Clay County, North Carolina, adopted a data-center ban on January 8, 2026. Its status in this snapshot is in force.
The record reads: "Indefinite prohibition on data centers, adopted 2026-01-08, active per tracker (Moratorium Nation)."
Details
| Action | Class | Status | Date | MW threshold | Scope | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ban | restriction | in force | January 8, 2026 | 2 MW | county-wide | Moratorium Nation (ALEA Institute) |
Jurisdiction type: county. County: Clay County. Dataset: moratorium nation. Snapshot August 15, 2026; documented actions, not a census.
North Carolina context
North Carolina has 49 documented local actions across 47 jurisdictions in this snapshot. There is no statewide restriction, incentive rollback, or large-load tariff on record for North Carolina in this snapshot.
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.