Council Closes Hearing on Data Center Moratorium
Attleboro Municipal Council closed a public hearing on a proposed one-year data center moratorium without voting, after residents and Mayor Kathleen DeSimone warned the city's water and power systems could not handle one.
City Council · Meeting of July 21, 2026
Attleboro Municipal Council closed a public hearing on a proposed one-year data center moratorium without voting, after residents and Mayor Kathleen DeSimone warned the city's water and power systems could not handle one. Sustainability Commission chair Mike Davis said a large data center can use 5 million gallons of water daily, versus Attleboro's own 4-million-gallon citywide average, and cited electricity use growing "19 percent" a year nationally. DeSimone, citing Level 3 drought restrictions, asked councilors to eventually consider "a permanent ban." No developer has proposed a project in Attleboro.
Separately, the council adopted a new Comprehensive Plan, updated its floodplain zoning to match new FEMA maps, approved $425,650 in fund transfers including money to hire a part-time Capron Park Zoo marketing coordinator, and held a proposed Attleboro Community Engagement Committee after the HR Committee split 2-1, with Councilor Tavares calling it a revived "diversity, equity, and inclusion" measure.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 3,993 words
Source: the City Council meeting of July 21, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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