Dear Governor Sherrill,

We, the undersigned New Jersey ratepayers and residents, urge you to order a moratorium on approving and constructing new data centers that have the capacity to use 20 MW or more of power.

The unchecked proliferation of data centers in New Jersey presents an economic, environmental, and health crisis. 65% of registered voters favor a ban on new data centers in New Jersey..

While your Executive Orders 1 and 2 recognize that “the ongoing electricity affordability crisis in New Jersey constitutes an emergency” and that “a significant driver” of the electricity affordability crisis is demand growth coming from data centers, little is being done at the state level to stop the unchecked growth of data centers and the increase in electric rates they will bring.

New Jersey also does not have needed protections in place to protect the environment and the health and well-being of New Jersey residents from data centers.

This moratorium should remain in effect until regulations or legislation are implemented ensuring that data centers, among other things:
– pay their own way and do not cause the rates of other customers to increase;
– use truly clean, renewable energy;
– are not endangering our water quality or quantity.

Numerous New Jersey Democratic and Republican governors have previously ordered moratoriums until safeguards were in place to protect the public interest and prevent irreversible harm. Please follow their example and pause the approval and construction of new data centers.