The Grant County Commission approved a one-year ordinance banning data center development and supporting infrastructure, voting 4-1 with District 5 Commissioner Thomas Shelley in opposition. The ban directly affects the proposed Site Layer 1 project backed by developer Granite Renewables, which is pursuing a 715-megawatt solar-and-battery storage project on roughly 5,000 acres alongside a potential colocation data center that could involve 300 megawatts of natural gas generation. Project representative Adrienne Bell of Holland and Hart warned the moratorium creates financing, interconnection, and permitting uncertainty, while Granite Renewables developer Blake Marcus said feasibility study results from regional energy provider Tristate are expected around February. Commission Chair Chris Ponce said the public sought more information before any project moved forward.
The Grant County vote shows that opposition to data centers is reaching rural, resource-constrained communities where concerns about water, air quality, and energy mix carry particular weight. The moratorium's potential to inadvertently block a 715-megawatt solar generation project illustrates how broadly worded local ordinances can create collateral consequences for renewable energy development tied to data center proposals.
A county-level moratorium passed by Silvercity Daily Press's coverage area represents a formal regulatory body enacting a pause on data center development, a notable policy action not yet covered in the Digest. The county actor and formal passage distinguish this from Opposition category.