Vermont's S.205 is a state data centre bill cited among the wave of moratorium and regulatory legislation being tracked across 12 US states as of April 2026. Maine passed the first statewide moratorium; Vermont's bill is part of the broader state-level regulatory response.Source: Lowdown data-centres briefing

What does Vermont's S.205 data centre bill propose?

Vermont S.205 proposes a statewide freeze on new large data-centre development through July 2030 — the longest legislative moratorium proposed by any US state as of April 2026.Source: Lowdown data-centres briefing

How progressive is Vermont on environmental regulation?

Vermont has a well-established tradition of progressive environmental policy. With roughly 650,000 people it is one of the smallest US states, but its legislation often signals the direction of travel for environmentally-oriented governance across the country.Source: Vermont state government

Background

Vermont is a small north-eastern US state known for progressive environmental policy and a rural economy. It has appeared in two distinct Lowdown topics. In the data centre context, Vermont's S.205 is cited among the wave of state-level data centre legislation being tracked alongside Maine's historic moratorium. Vermont's political culture has historically favoured environmental regulation over large-scale industrial development, making it a likely candidate for restrictive data centre legislation.

Vermont has also appeared in Artemis II coverage due to its relationship with NASA and aeronautics-related research institutions in New England. Its small size and population — approximately 650,000 — mean it is rarely a primary location for major infrastructure investments, but its legislative positions carry weight in national policy debates as an indicator of progressive state-level governance direction.