Lincoln County WA 6-month data center/BESS emergency moratorium
Lincoln County, WA — Ordinance 26-02: Six-Month Emergency Moratorium on Permit Applications for Data Centers and Battery Energy Storage Systems (Sept. 8, 2026)
Lincoln County, WA · Lincoln County, WA, Ordinance 26-02 (six-month emergency moratorium on data center and BESS permit applications, Sept. 8, 2026)
- Status
- In effect
- Took effect
- September 8, 2026
- Applies to
- Applicants for data center or battery energy storage system permits in Lincoln County, WA
- Enforced by
- Lincoln County Board of County Commissioners; Lincoln County Planning Department
Lincoln County, Washington's commissioners adopted a six-month emergency moratorium on accepting permit applications for data centers and battery energy storage systems on Sept. 8, 2026. The pause gives the planning commission time to draft zoning rules for these uses.
Who is protected: Lincoln County, WA residents
Legal detail
Lincoln County (WA) Board of County Commissioners, regular meeting Tuesday Sept. 8, 2026: by unanimous vote authorized preparation of an emergency declaration for a six-month moratorium on data centers and BESS; Ordinance 26-02 imposed a six-month emergency moratorium on the acceptance of permit applications for data centers and/or BESS and directed scheduling of a public hearing (minutes). Public hearing held Monday Oct. 5, 2026 (KXLY). County reports no data center or BESS applications pending. NOT ESTABLISHED: exact expiry date (six months from adoption, approx. March 2027).
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Lincoln County, WA |
|---|---|
| Level | County |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Enacted | September 8, 2026 |
| Citation | Lincoln County, WA, Ordinance 26-02 (six-month emergency moratorium on data center and BESS permit applications, Sept. 8, 2026) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy |
| Agency page | Lincoln County Board of Commissioners — Minutes, Regular Meeting Sept. 8, 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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