Cass County NE 12-month data center moratorium
Cass County, NE — Board of Commissioners Unanimously Adopts 12-Month Data Center Moratorium (August 11, 2026)
Cass County, NE · Cass County, NE Board of Commissioners, 12-month data center moratorium (unanimous 5-0, August 11, 2026)
- Status
- In effect
- Expires
- August 11, 2027
- Applies to
- Data center developers seeking permits in Cass County, NE
- Enforced by
- Cass County, NE Board of Commissioners; Cass County Planning and Zoning
The Cass County, Nebraska Board of Commissioners voted unanimously 5-0 on August 11, 2026 to impose a 12-month moratorium on the permitting of data centers in the county. The moratorium follows a public hearing at which Cass County residents voiced strong opposition to data center development, citing concerns about farmland loss, water use, and noise. Residents burst into applause when the board approved the moratorium. The vote makes Cass County approximately the 12th Nebraska county to adopt a temporary halt on data center construction — joining Otoe, Seward, and others in a statewide wave of county-level resistance. Proposed permanent regulations for data centers were tabled to September 22, 2026 for additional study. Cass County's county seat is Plattsmouth; the county is in eastern Nebraska adjacent to the Missouri River, just south of the Omaha metropolitan area.
Who is protected: Cass County, NE residents from unchecked data center permitting during the moratorium period; agricultural landowners from farmland conversion
Legal detail
Cass County, NE Board of Commissioners, unanimous 5-0 vote, August 11, 2026. Scope: 12-month moratorium on permitting for data centers in Cass County. Duration: 12 months from August 11, 2026 (through ~August 11, 2027). Context: Planning Commission had voted in favor of the moratorium prior to the Board of Commissioners action. Proposed permanent data center regulations tabled to September 22, 2026 Board meeting. Cass County is in eastern Nebraska, population ~27,000, county seat Plattsmouth; adjacent to the Omaha–Council Bluffs metropolitan area. Nebraska statewide context: at least 11 prior county moratoriums (Otoe, Seward, Butler, Box Butte, Custer, Dundy, Furnas, Hayes, Harlan, Johnson, Kearney); Gov. Jim Pillen issued executive order July 20, 2026 suspending ImagiNE Act data center tax incentives for new applications (Nebraska Gov. Pillen EO rescinding ImagiNE Act data center incentives for new applications).
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Cass County, NE |
|---|---|
| Level | County |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Enacted | August 11, 2026 |
| Citation | Cass County, NE Board of Commissioners, 12-month data center moratorium (unanimous 5-0, August 11, 2026) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy |
| News report | Cass County Board of Commissioners unanimously vote for data center moratorium — KLKNTV |
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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