Washington County IN 12-month data center moratorium (2026)

Washington County, Indiana — 12-month moratorium on commercial and large-scale data-center development, adopted by the Board of Commissioners on August 5, 2026. THRESHOLD DEFINITION: 'data center' is defined in the resolution as a structure larger than 2,000 square feet intended chiefly to house data-processing equipment. This is a meaningful definitional boundary — structures under 2,000 sq ft or with a different primary purpose are not covered. DURATION: up to 12 months (to approximately August 5, 2027) or until replaced by a permanent ordinance, whichever comes first. PURPOSE: provide time to study environmental, economic, and utility impacts. Planning Commission directed to draft ordinance amendments within the moratorium period. SCOPE: commercial and large-scale data centers; does not affect projects already operating or approved. Washington County is in southern Indiana; county seat Salem, IN. The moratorium does not include a no-permanent-ban language, so it is a standard permit pause. INDIANA CONTEXT: joins the cohort of Indiana county moratoria documented throughout 2026; one report listed Madison, Boone, Fulton, Dearborn, Putnam, Pulaski, Marshall, Starke, White and Marion counties alongside Washington County with pauses.