NATIONWIDE — Data Center Watch, a project of 10a Labs, reported that 75 data center projects were blocked or delayed between January and March 2026. These blocked or delayed projects were valued at approximately $130 billion.

This period marked the highest number of blocked or delayed data center projects in a single quarter since tracking began in 2023. The total number and value of these projects during the first three months of 2026 approximately matched the annual total for 2025.

Lawmakers in 14 states introduced legislative proposals for data center construction moratoriums from January through March 2026. During the first six weeks of 2026, over 300 data center-related bills were introduced across state legislatures. Maine Governor Janet Mills vetoed a state data center moratorium bill in April 2026.

Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduced a federal data center construction moratorium bill. State legislative approaches shifted from incentive-focused policies to regulatory oversight as energy demand scales increased for data centers. Data center proponents stated that concerns regarding energy consumption and environmental impact are inaccurate, noting the economic benefits of the developments.

The number of active grassroots data center opposition groups increased from 396 at the end of 2025 to 833 by March 2026. Maryland, Ohio, and Texas recorded the highest numbers of active data center opposition groups as of March 2026. Data Center Watch stated, "In some cases, opposition mobilized before any project was officially filed, the mere rumor of a data center was enough to trigger organized resistance."

No independent assessment was available for this report.