POCATELLO — The Bannock County Board of Commissioners signed an ordinance Wednesday enacting a 180-day emergency moratorium on data center permit applications in unincorporated areas of the county, buying time for county planners to craft regulations specific to the fast-growing industry.

The moratorium took effect July 30 and runs through Jan. 26, 2027. During that window, Bannock County Planning & Development staff will research and draft a standalone data center ordinance addressing water usage, energy demands, land-use impacts and community character.

“With data center interest growing across our region, putting a temporary pause in place allows our staff to study water usage, energy demands, and land-use impacts thoroughly before any county permits are considered,” said Hal Jensen, Bannock County Planning Director. “Taking a proactive approach gives us the time we need to draft strong, clear protections specific to Bannock County’s long-term needs.”

County officials note the moratorium applies only to unincorporated areas under county jurisdiction — meaning the municipalities of Pocatello, Chubbuck, Inkom, McCammon, Downey, Lava Hot Springs and Arimo are explicitly excluded — and will have no bearing or impact on any municipal proceedings.

{p class=”font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal” dir=”ltr”}The moratorium is separate from — and does not affect — the contentious land use battle already playing out within Pocatello city limits over a proposed AI data center at the former Hoku polysilicon plant site.

{p class=”font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal” dir=”ltr”}Gus Schultz and his Gilbert, Arizona-based company Lex Developments has sought a conditional use permit at the behest of Pocatello for the project, which has drawn scrutiny from city officials and local residents and is currently working its way through an appeal process before the Pocatello City Council.

{p class=”font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal” dir=”ltr”}The commissioner’s move follows a pattern of Bannock County taking a deliberate, moratorium-first approach to emerging energy and infrastructure industries.

{p class=”font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal” dir=”ltr”}In 2024, the commission approved a total ban on large-scale commercial solar and wind projects after a temporary moratorium expired, similarly citing a need for time to study impacts and develop comprehensive regulations.

The county has also been actively exploring nuclear energy options, hosting public forums on small modular reactors and energy independence in the Portneuf Valley.

On the planning side, county staff is currently in the final stages of a separate, years-long rewrite of the Land Use and Development Ordinance, or LUDO. Because data centers were not included in that broader rewrite, the county chose to address them separately during the 180-day pause rather than delay the LUDO’s upcoming public hearings.

Once those LUDO hearings conclude, staff will shift focus to drafting the dedicated data center ordinance. The county said residents will have formal opportunities to provide public input before any new regulations are adopted.

Bannock County has launched a dedicated webpage at bannockcounty.gov/datacenter where residents can track timeline updates, review draft materials and subscribe to email notifications about public input opportunities.