Data center restrictions tracker · Massachusetts

Data center moratoriums and restrictions in Massachusetts (2026)

Data snapshot 2026-08-15 · part of Pricing the Fear of Data Centers

As of August 15, 2026, this tracker documents 9 local government actions on data centers in Massachusetts, across 8 jurisdictions in 3 counties: 7 moratoria and 2 zoning exclusions. By status: 4 in force, 3 pending, 1 enacted, and 1 expired.

There is no statewide restriction, incentive rollback, or large-load tariff on record for Massachusetts in this snapshot.

Data centers in Massachusetts used about 1.4 TWh of electricity in 2024; EPRI, Powering Intelligence 2026 (state-level dashboard) projects 1.4 TWh in its 2030, EPRI medium scenario.

Local actions in Massachusetts

Every documented local action in Massachusetts in the August 15, 2026 snapshot. Documented actions, not a census.
JurisdictionCountyActionStatusDate
WestfieldHampden CountyMoratoriumin forceJuly 6, 2026
EverettMiddlesex CountyMoratoriumin forceJune 22, 2026
City of HolyokeHampden CountyZoning exclusionenactedJune 18, 2026
MaldenMiddlesex CountyMoratoriumin forceMay 5, 2026
LowellMiddlesex CountyMoratoriumin forceMarch 10, 2026
EverettMiddlesex CountyZoning exclusionpendingFebruary 24, 2026
ShutesburyFranklin CountyMoratoriumexpiredSeptember 30, 2025
GillFranklin CountyMoratoriumpendingundated
HeathFranklin CountyMoratoriumpendingundated

What one campus pays a local government

The parent piece's calculator puts a single large campus at $2M to $90M a year in local revenue, depending on the tax regime and abatements. The reference campus (Project Blue scale: $3.6B of capital, 286 MW) pays about $157M to local governments over 10 years. Permanent jobs run around 50 per facility.

Tax regimeReference caseAnnual local revenue, lowAnnual local revenue, high
Aggressive abatementMorrow County OR (enterprise zone)$2M$3M
Partial abatementGeorgia audit representative campus / El Paso Meta$27.8M$56M
Unabated equipment taxVirginia-style rates (Loudoun is the ceiling)$50M$90M

Run your own numbers in the calculator on the parent piece. Jurisdictions in Massachusetts that say no give up this revenue, not the jobs.

Sources

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