Millville bans data centers, ending massive proposed development

Millville drew a hard line Tuesday night, banning data centers within city limits and shutting down a 2.6 million-square-foot proposal that opponents said would have brought massive power demand, heavy water use and little local benefit. News 12 said the project would have drawn 1.4 gigawatts at full capacity, a scale that alarmed residents already worried about the strain on the local grid and community infrastructure.

The city’s ordinance, 48-2026, was introduced April 7 to amend Chapter 30, the land-use code, and was set for second reading and public hearing May 19 at about 6 p.m. Millville’s public notice on May 5 confirmed the measure’s final step through municipal process. The ordinance text says large-scale data centers can require extremely high electricity consumption, substantial cooling, excessive water use, and can contribute to grid overload, aquifer depletion, higher energy prices, noise, heat and limited local jobs relative to the amount of land they occupy.

The political push against the proposal came from Climate Revolution Action Network, a Gen Z-led environmental group that organized workshops, trained residents for public comment and filled municipal chambers with opponents. The fight also brought together younger climate activists and longtime South Jersey farm families, turning what could have been a niche land-use battle into a broader test of local power over industrial development. Millville’s vote now stands as what organizers describe as the largest proposed data-center facility successfully blocked in New Jersey.

For Cumberland County, the decision lands in the middle of a widening regional fight over who pays the price for artificial intelligence growth. Phillipsburg approved a data-center ban in April, and advocacy groups say several Pinelands municipalities, including Pemberton, Monroe and North Hanover, have moved to block or limit these facilities. More than 60 environmental, labor, community and grassroots groups asked Gov. Mikie Sherrill on May 14 to impose a statewide moratorium on new data centers, while a Fairleigh Dickinson University poll cited by advocacy groups found 65% of registered voters support banning new construction until more power plants can be built.

The pressure is unlikely to stop at Millville’s border. In nearby Vineland, a separate 2.6 million-square-foot data center tied to a $17 billion DataOne-Microsoft deal has already become a flashpoint, with residents raising alarms over noise, water use and transparency. South Jersey Climate News reported New Jersey has more than 80 data centers operating or planned, underscoring why Millville’s ban could shape the next round of fights over taxes, jobs, water and industrial land use across Cumberland County.