The Ohio township of Muhlenberg has introduced a 12-month moratorium on planning applications for new data centers after residents voiced concerns about a digital infrastructure and energy campus being planned nearby.

Pacifico Energy had been seeking rezoning approval for a piece of land on London Road, Muhlenberg, so that it could be used for a data center and power plant, utilizing a natural gas line that runs through the site.

However, the plan led to a groundswell of opposition from Muhlenberg residents, with a petition against the scheme garnering more than 700 signatures.

At a meeting of Muhlenberg’s trustees, held earlier this month, local officials announced a 12-month moratorium on new data center developments was being imposed. This is because state-wide legislation around data centers is currently being debated by lawmakers in Ohio.

In comments reported by the Circleville Herald, trustee Jeff Wippel said the move would “hold things off for a year where we can get our zoning and all that kind of stuff in line, and see what other kind of transparencies happen with the state.”

He said: “They’re forming a committee to review data centers. Nothing will be able to be done in the township until February 3 of next year, when the moratorium runs out.”

Ohio policy makers are apparently keen to control the spread of data center developments. House Bill 646, referenced by Wippel, would set up a data center commission to look at the impact of data centers on communities in the state.

Meanwhile, electricity rates introduced last year compel operators to pay at least 85 percent of data center-related power requests, even if they don’t end up using the energy.

It is unclear if Pacifico Energy will return to its plan for Muhlenberg in 12 months’ time. The company is the energy arm of investment firm Pacifico Group. Based out of San Juan, California, it has interests in both renewable and fossil fuel-based energy projects.

These include a 5GW off-grid natural gas plant, known as GW Ranch, on an 8,000-acre site in Texas, and a scheme at Fort Spunky, outside Dallas, which will deliver 450MW of power from natural gas turbines, to supply data center clients.

EdgeConneX and Amazon are known to be targeting developments elsewhere in Pickaway County.