Plymouth County IA 1-year data center & battery storage moratorium
Plymouth County, IA — Board of Supervisors 1-Year Revocable Moratorium on Data Centers and Industrial Battery Storage (June 17, 2026)
Plymouth County, IA · Plymouth County, IA Board of Supervisors, one-year revocable moratorium on data centers and industrial battery storage (adopted June 17, 2026, 4-0 vote; estimated expiration June 17, 2027)
- Status
- In effect
- Expires
- June 17, 2027
- Applies to
- Data center and industrial battery storage developers seeking approvals in unincorporated Plymouth County, IA
- Enforced by
- Plymouth County Board of Supervisors; Plymouth County planning and zoning
Plymouth County, Iowa's Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 on June 17, 2026 to impose a one-year revocable moratorium on new data centers and industrial battery storage facilities in unincorporated areas of the county. The measure was introduced by Board Chair Don Kass to give the county time to develop regulations addressing water use, power consumption, and noise issues before any such facilities could be approved. The moratorium is revocable, meaning the board can lift it early. Plymouth County is in northwest Iowa (county seat Le Mars). One board member was absent during the vote.
Who is protected: Plymouth County, IA residents in unincorporated areas from unregulated data center and battery storage development during the moratorium period
Legal detail
Plymouth County, IA Board of Supervisors: 4-0 vote June 17, 2026 (1 member absent) adopting one-year revocable moratorium on data centers and industrial battery energy storage systems (BESS) in unincorporated Plymouth County. Moratorium term: June 17, 2026 through approximately June 17, 2027. Introduced by Board of Supervisors Chair Don Kass. Purpose: give county time to prepare zoning regulations addressing data center impacts on water, electrical infrastructure, and noise. 'Revocable' means the board may lift the moratorium before expiration if permanent rules are adopted. Plymouth County is in NW Iowa (county seat Le Mars; population ~25,000); part of the Siouxland region. Moratorium applies only to unincorporated county areas; incorporated municipalities retain their own zoning authority.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Plymouth County, IA |
|---|---|
| Level | County |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Enacted | June 17, 2026 |
| Citation | Plymouth County, IA Board of Supervisors, one-year revocable moratorium on data centers and industrial battery storage (adopted June 17, 2026, 4-0 vote; estimated expiration June 17, 2027) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Applications not accepted/processed during moratorium period |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy |
| News report | Plymouth County supervisors approve one-year data center moratorium — KLEM 1410 |
Related data-center siting and energy rules elsewhere
- Superior WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Dane County WI Hyperscale Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- Madison WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Manitowoc County WI Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Dayton OH data center moratorium (180-day, Apr 2026) · In effect
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