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Data centers in Massachusetts: 6 projects mapped
Massachusetts' main data center fight is in Lowell, where Markley Group runs a 350,000-square-foot data center in a residential neighborhood and wants to grow. The City Council voted 10-0 in March for a one-year moratorium on new data center construction, the state's first. On August 10 a Superior Court judge stopped Markley from installing four more diesel backup generators while residents' lawsuit against the state's air permit goes forward; the four already installed can keep running.
Neighbors worry about diesel fumes, noise and water and power use; union electricians who work at the site spoke for the company, which employs about 100 people there. "I'm faced with a dilemma: Which one of my children do I like the best? Do I like the neighbors or do I like the union?" Councilor Rita Mercier said before voting yes.
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The state's largest proposal, a $4 billion campus by Servistar Realties in Westfield, was approved years ago but has stalled; Mayor Mike McCabe said in March "we are still in a holding pattern," and Westfield has since passed a one-year moratorium on further projects. Malden has a one-year moratorium too. Holyoke banned new data centers using more than 12 megawatts of power, Mansfield capped them at 2 megawatts, Southborough at 50,000 square feet, and Everett at 20,000 square feet or 5 megawatts in its Docklands district.
Under an executive order Gov. Maura Healey signed September 8, a data center must reach a community benefits agreement with its host town before state permitting begins. "Unless a community says yes to a data center, we're saying no," Healey said. A West Springfield activist has filed a petition aiming for the 2028 ballot that would require two-thirds of local voters to approve any data center.
4 counties with tracked projects
Only places with at least one project have a page.
Where this comes from
The reporting above was written from these. Open one and check it yourself.
Moratoriums and bans in effect
Places in Massachusetts that have paused or banned new data centers.
| Place | Type | Started | Ends | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holyoke CityTown or city | Ban | Jun 17, 2026 | No end date | Record off site ↗ |
| LowellTown or city | Moratorium | Mar 1, 2026 | Mar 1, 2027 | Record off site ↗ |
Zoning limits on data centers
Rules short of a pause: setbacks, noise caps, permit requirements and district limits.
| Place | Type | Started | Ends | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MansfieldTown or city | Zoning limits | May 15, 2026 | No end date | Record off site ↗ |
| EverettTown or city | Zoning limits | Not reported | No end date | Record off site ↗ |
Every project above is drawn from public records, filings and local reporting. Each row links to what it is based on. Statuses change, so check the source date before you rely on one. Found something wrong? Write to [email protected] and it gets fixed.