Maine governor vetoes bill that bans large new data centers, says legislature should have exempted one particular well-supported data center

Maine Gov. Janet Mills vetoed a bill that would have paused approvals for new data centers over 20 MW until 2027.

She said the proposal should have exempted a supported $550 million project in Jay, which she wants to protect.

Instead, Mills plans an executive-order study of data centers’ power, water, and environmental impacts.

She did sign a separate bill limiting tax incentives for the industry, keeping the policy fight alive.