La Crosse city leaders took the first step Saturday toward pausing data center development, with the City Plan Commission advancing an 18-month moratorium on new data center projects.
The moratorium would stop the city from issuing permits for the construction of any data centers while La Crosse studies possible environmental, economic, and health impacts of the facilities.
The city is following La Crosse County’s lead. In June 2026, La Crosse County approved its own 18-month moratorium on data centers in unincorporated county areas. The county established an ad hoc committee to study data centers and make recommendations to county leadership. La Crosse will participate in that committee’s work as the city develops its own regulatory standards.
Blandin on Broadband
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