Westbrook plans to propose a 180-day moratorium on data centers after Gov. Janet Mills vetoed a bill to temporarily ban data center development statewide last month.

The moratorium would give the city time to consider local rules and regulations for such developments, though none have been proposed in the city to date, according to a release from Westbrook Mayor David Morse.

“People are very concerned about the rapid proliferation of data centers across the country being driven by AI and cloud computing. I share that concern,” Morse wrote in the release. “I believe that, while no data center has been yet formally proposed in the City of Westbrook, a moratorium at this time would be prudent so that we can be prepared if or when such a proposal comes forward. Westbrook has a reputation for thoughtful planning and development, and taking the time to study this issue carefully is in line with our planning philosophy.”

The Westbrook City Council will discuss the proposed moratorium at its Housing and Economic Development Committee meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, May 18, which will include an opportunity for public comment. The council would then vote at a meeting June 1 if it chooses to move forward.

The bill vetoed on April 24 would have established the first statewide data center moratorium in the nation, and it would have blocked the construction of new data centers until November 2027.

After the veto, Mills created the Maine Data Center Advisory Council to make recommendations on data center development, and legislators asked municipalities to consider local moratoriums, according to the release.

Concerned about the impact of data centers on their resources and infrastructure, local governments across the country have passed similar bans, including Bangor, New Orleans and multiple counties in Indiana.