Colfax County NM 1-year data center moratorium
Colfax County, NM — Board of Commissioners Adopts a One-Year Moratorium on New Data Center Development in Unincorporated Areas (August 2026)
Colfax County, NM · Colfax County, NM one-year data center moratorium (unincorporated areas), adopted August 2026
- Status
- In effect
- Applies to
- Data center developers in unincorporated Colfax County, NM
- Enforced by
- Colfax County Board of Commissioners; county planning/land use
Colfax County, New Mexico adopted a one-year pause on new data center development in its unincorporated areas in August 2026, amid drought and water concerns. It was the fourth New Mexico county to do so, after Santa Fe, Sierra and Socorro counties. The City of Raton, the county seat, voted against its own moratorium in September.
Who is protected: Residents of unincorporated Colfax County, NM
Legal detail
Colfax County (NM) BOCC: one-year moratorium on new data center development, unincorporated county only. Advanced Aug. 11, 2026 (Huerfano World Journal, Aug. 20); adopted August 2026 (Santa Fe New Mexican Oct. 6; KKOB Oct. 8). NOT ESTABLISHED: exact adoption date, ordinance/resolution number, effective and expiry dates (CPR Sept. 3 article on adoption returned 403).
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Colfax County, NM |
|---|---|
| Level | County |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Citation | Colfax County, NM one-year data center moratorium (unincorporated areas), adopted August 2026 |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy |
| News report | City of Raton, Colfax County take opposite stands on data center moratoriums — Santa Fe New Mexican (Oct. 6, 2026) |
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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