The City of Madison, Wisconsin, enacted a one-year moratorium in 2025 on new data center construction, with a particular focus on facilities intended for AI infrastructure. This action is significant as it represents the first city-level moratorium in the US specifically aimed at regulating the physical siting of AI-related infrastructure, indicating an emerging trend of local government involvement in AI governance. The moratorium creates an immediate and binding obligation for data center developers in Madison.
Effective date
2025
Action required
Companies planning data center development in Madison, WI must halt new projects or reconsider their siting strategy for the duration of the one-year moratorium.
Binding status
binding
Governing body
City of Madison, Wisconsin
Direction
restrictive
Innovation impact
constraining
Enforcement details
Agency
City of Madison
Compliance requirements
Prohibited practices
- Development of new data centers within City of Madison for a period of 1 year
Affected industries
Affected roles
"Madison passed a 1-year data center moratorium in 2025 — the first US city-level moratorium targeting AI infrastructure siting."
Enriched 2026-08-07
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