Ida County is hitting pause on data centers.
At its June 30 meeting, the county board of supervisors voted 3-0 to enact an immediate moratorium on new data center development — a move board members say is about getting ahead of a fast‑moving issue before projects arrive in the county.
Board Chair Devlun Whiteing says the topic has been gaining attention across Iowa, with several counties taking similar steps in recent months. He says he pushed to get the discussion on the agenda after watching what was happening elsewhere.
And the trend is growing. As of last week, at least eight Iowa counties have enacted temporary moratoriums on data centers, including Linn, Plymouth, Sioux, Woodbury, Clarke, Dubuque, Johnson and Madison counties. Linn County’s moratorium, which lasts 18 months in unincorporated areas, passed last Wednesday on a 2–1 vote. In northwest Iowa, the City of Salix — which recently annexed nearly 900 acres for a potential MidAmerican Energy data center — advanced its own one‑year moratorium last week after intense public debate, petitions and concerns about water and power usage.
Across the state, residents have raised questions about transparency, water consumption, electrical demand and whether large‑scale data centers align with local long‑term planning. Supporters argue the projects bring jobs and tax revenue, while opponents say counties need time to understand the impacts before approving major developments. Nationally, data centers have drawn scrutiny for their high electricity usage and cooling needs as demand for cloud computing and artificial intelligence continues to grow.
Whiteing says the board’s concern isn’t opposition — it’s uncertainty. Ida County has no existing ordinances governing data centers, and supervisors want time to understand how large‑scale facilities could affect local resources.
The moratorium is indefinite, remaining in place until the board votes otherwise. Whiteing says the pause has already prompted outreach from companies interested in locating in Ida County — something he sees as confirmation that the timing was right.
Supervisors Kyle Rohlk and Creston Schubert supported the moratorium, citing the need for facts rather than rumors. Schubert referenced stories from other states where heavy water use allegedly lowered water tables near farms — something Whiteing says underscores the need for verified information.
Whiteing says Ida County wants to be prepared — not reactive.
He says the board plans to meet with companies, gather data and explore potential ordinances before making any long‑term decisions.
