Gov. Mike Braun surprised at amount of data center moratoriums

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Governor Mike Braun says he is surprised that so many Hoosier counties are considering a moratorium on artificial intelligence data centers.

Right now, 33 of the state's 92 counties have enacted local ordinances to strictly regulate or even ban data centers like the $11 billion dollar Amazon development near New Carlisle.

Braun says each county and community needs to make their own determination because there are economic advantages to hosting, including more local jobs.

"I'm also surprised that several of them have gone the other way to approve it. That needs to be a big community discussion because for the small counties, it would definitely lower property taxes." says Braun.

The governor supports data center development, as long as companies ensure they are not raising utility rates on their neighbors or harming the local water supply.