AI data center moratorium passed before 2027?

Prediction markets put the probability at 93%: AI data center moratorium passed before 2027. Currently, markets see this as likely (93% YES). Earlier this month, Maine was firmly on track to become the first state to institute a moratorium on AI data centers.

What’s Happening

The push for an AI data center moratorium passed at the state level suffered a significant setback on April 24, 2026, when Maine Governor Janet Mills vetoed L.D. 307, a bill that would have imposed the nation’s first statewide halt on new data center permits through November 1, 2027. In her veto letter, Mills acknowledged that “a moratorium is appropriate given the impacts of massive data centers in other states on the environment and on electricity rates,” but she declined to sign the measure, leaving Maine without a formal pause on construction. The veto came after the bill had advanced through the legislature with bipartisan support, reflecting growing unease over the rapid expansion of energy-intensive AI infrastructure. [AP, Apr 24]

Despite the Maine veto, momentum for local restrictions continues to build across the country. In North Carolina, Orange County passed a one-year moratorium on data centers in late April, and the town of Apex enacted a similar pause earlier in the month, according to an analysis by the N.C. Data Center Newsletter. Meanwhile, Minneapolis is considering its own moratorium, though Council Member Elizabeth Shaffer described the approach as a “blunt tool” amid a downtown property tax crisis. These localized actions suggest that while a statewide AI data center moratorium passed at the federal or broad state level remains elusive, grassroots opposition is intensifying as communities grapple with the environmental and economic trade-offs of hosting massive computing facilities. [Axios, Apr 28]

The failure in Maine underscores the political difficulty of enacting broad moratoriums, even as public concern over data center energy consumption and rising electricity rates grows. Mills’ veto places the state alongside a “growing list of states that have tried and failed to instate a data center moratorium,” according to reports. Looking ahead, the question of whether a binding AI data center moratorium passed before 2027 remains open, with activity now shifting to city councils and county boards. The outcome will likely depend on whether state legislatures can overcome industry opposition and utility concerns to replicate the local-level restrictions seen in North Carolina and Minnesota on a wider scale. [Gizmodo, Apr 26]

Traded on Polymarket — $51K Volume

Lower-volume market on Polymarket ($51K). Wider spreads expected — enter with limit orders and be aware of slippage risk. Currently 93c YES.