Data-center policy playbook

How communities are pushing back and establishing moratoria — sourced, free, and open to iteration. Pair this with the open map of facilities and local pauses.

How a moratorium actually happens
Who holds authority, and where zoning, permitting, and utility interconnection create leverage.
What communities have asked for
The seven asks before permits move — water, grid, rates, siting, emissions, clean supply, and local jobs & procurement.
Water
Total versus consumptive draw, source, and drought curtailment before approval.
Grid capacity, and who pays for it
Rate classes, special contracts, cost allocation, and interconnection risk.
Land use, noise, and siting transparency
Zoning compatibility, setbacks, noise, and disclosure without NDAs on critical impacts.
Local jobs and procurement
One labor ask — local hire and wages, plus a verifiable contract-value floor for local vendors — with the public-versus-private legal distinction noted.
Precedent: what 505 jurisdictions did
How to read the Moratorium Nation dataset honestly, with the open map as evidence.
Sources and further reading
Annotated bibliography for the playbook spine.