Westfield Officials Vote Unanimously for Data Center Moratorium

WESTFIELD — Westfield officials this week voted unanimously to halt new data center development, reversing course after the city previously offered tax incentives to help land a data center project valued at $4 billion.

TOWN HALL City officials voted unanimously to impose a moratorium on new data center projects, pausing further development while officials study the impact such large-scale facilities have on local land, power, and water resources. The move marks a notable reversal: Westfield had previously used tax breaks to help attract a data center project valued at $4 billion, one of the largest such investments to touch the city in recent memory.

The moratorium places Westfield among a growing list of Massachusetts communities reconsidering the costs and benefits of hosting energy-intensive data center facilities, as the industry's rapid statewide expansion draws increased scrutiny over resource use and community impact.