Waterloo IA 3-month data center moratorium
Waterloo, IA — City Council 3-Month Moratorium on New Data Center Development (September 9, 2026)
Waterloo, IA · Waterloo, IA City Council data center moratorium (adopted September 9, 2026; 3-month duration; estimated expiration ~December 9, 2026)
- Status
- In effect
- Expires
- December 9, 2026
- Applies to
- Data center developers seeking approvals within the City of Waterloo, IA
- Enforced by
- City of Waterloo planning and development department
The Waterloo, Iowa City Council voted on September 9, 2026 to impose a 3-month moratorium on new data center development within city limits. The moratorium was prompted by public opposition to a proposal from Wahawk Power LLC for a large data center — approximately 80,000 square feet on a 12-acre site — on a parcel that had been acquired for just $1 as part of an economic development agreement. Residents and council members raised concerns about water use, electrical demand, and land use. The moratorium expires approximately December 9, 2026, giving the city time to develop data center regulations. Waterloo is the largest city in Black Hawk County in northeastern-central Iowa.
Who is protected: Waterloo, IA residents from unregulated data center development during the moratorium period while city develops permanent data center standards
Legal detail
Waterloo, IA City Council action (September 9, 2026): 3-month moratorium on new data center development within city limits. Background: Wahawk Power LLC had proposed a 12-acre / ~80,000 sq ft data center on a city-owned or city-conveyed parcel acquired for $1 (economic development parcel). Community opposition raised issues regarding water consumption, electrical grid load, and land use appropriateness. Moratorium pauses data center permit applications/approvals for ~90 days (estimated expiration December 9, 2026), providing time for the city to adopt data center-specific development standards. Waterloo is the county seat of Black Hawk County, northeastern-central Iowa (population ~67,000). Vote tally not confirmed from accessible sources; multiple outlets confirm vote occurred and moratorium passed.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Waterloo, IA |
|---|---|
| Level | City / local |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Enacted | September 9, 2026 |
| Citation | Waterloo, IA City Council data center moratorium (adopted September 9, 2026; 3-month duration; estimated expiration ~December 9, 2026) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Applications not accepted/processed during moratorium period |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy |
| News report | Waterloo leaders vote to block data centers for three months — Radio Iowa |
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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