In short
- Janet Mills must decide whether to sign or revoke the country’s first ban on big data centers for AI.
- The moratorium, approved by Maine lawmakers, halts new jobs for more than a year.
- The decision comes as Mills faces a Senate primary race, adding political pressure to the results.
Maine Governor Janet Mills, who is currently locked in a bitter Democratic race for a seat in the US Senate, must decide in the coming days whether to sign or veto the first AI ban.
Earlier this week, the Maine state legislature became the first in the nation to temporarily establish a super-sized data center. The ban could last for more than a year, and the legislation would also establish a council to review proposed projects in municipalities.
AI data centers, which are often large in size, have generated a lot of controversy as they quickly become available in rural areas across the country. Complaints have focused on the loud noise produced by the buildings, and sometimes loud noises results on local electricity prices.
And yet, no government has been able to ban the construction of data centers, even for a short period of time. Maine isn’t an AI powerhouse, perhaps just yet — but the backlash and opposition forces were enough in the liberal, environmentalist state to see the ban pass through both houses of the legislature with little resistance.
Now, Governor Mills has to decide whether to sign the moratorium into law, or not. Last week, Mills told reporters that he wanted to be exempted from the proposed $550 million investment in Jay, a small town in the center of the state.
“The people of Jay need those jobs, and the right ways to conserve water, electricity, local manufacturing, and all of those things,” the governor said.
Such exemptions were not included in the suspension of the state legislature in the end.
Complicating the decision is that Mills is currently locked in a U.S. Senate seat against his primary Democratic opponent, Maine oyster farmer Graham Platner. Despite Mills’ reputation as the most senior in the state, Platner, who is running to the left of the governor, now leads him. to vote on a large scale.
Thinking about a hot-button issue like AI—like its Senate crescendos—may not be at the top of Mills’ to-do list. But the ambassador will soon have to call one way or the other. Perhaps the active listening will be the driver of the number of AI-focused super PACs, which have started. throw away millions of dollars in races of all kinds this year.
Representatives for Mills did not immediately respond Decryptrequest for comments.
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