A senator in Michigan has proposed a one-year state-wide moratorium on data centers.

SB1018, introduced on Thursday by Republican state senator Jim Runestad alongside two other bills relating to data center zoning (SB1019) and utilities (SB1020), would prohibit local governments from authorizing applications to build or operate data centers until April 1, 2027.

The text of the bill is virtually identical to HB5594, which was introduced on February 26 by a group of Michigan senators including fellow Republican Jennifer Wortz.

A statement issued by Senator Runestad emphasizes that this legislation will not permanently ban data centers in the state and will instead institute a pause “until further information can be obtained.”

“We’re currently operating under a process that is poorly understood, and these developments could potentially have major negative consequences beyond what we’re already seeing,” Runestad said.

“While the governor is busy cozying up to tech CEOs for a photo op in Saline Township and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s husband is actively lobbying for these large-scale developments, polling and clear public opinion overwhelmingly show that people do not want these behemoths in their backyards, especially without additional regulations,” he added.

Runestad is referring to a launch ceremony for the Oracle/OpenAI Stargate campus in Saline Township which was attended by Governor Gretchen Whitmer on June 1.

The Saline Township project was confirmed in October 2025, with the site expected to offer 1GW of capacity and cost around $10bn to develop. Related Digital is developing the campus and has been targeting the site since August 2025.

Michigan is one of several states considering a state-wide moratorium on data centers. Others include Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin.