I wrote about the moratorium on data centers in Carlton County last week when it happened. This week, the Moose Lake Star Gazette has published all of the details on the moratorium and planned study. I won’t share them all; you can find them in full in the original article…

Below is Interim Ordinance #42 – Carlton County Data Center Interim Use Study adopted by the Carlton County Board of Commissioners 

August 24, 2026.

Article I. General Provisions and Definitions

Section 1.1 Purpose

This Ordinance places a one-year pause on the creation or expansion of data centers in Carlton County, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes § 394.34. The purpose of this pause is to protect the planning process as the County studies data centers and their impacts and its official controls and the need for possible amendments to its official controls to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of citizens.  Additionally, this ordinance will allow time for the completion of the County’s Comprehensive Land Use Planning process that began in 2025.