Data center moratorium passed in Bucksport

180-day halt is first of its kind in Hancock County

Oct. 20, 2026

Former Verso Paper Mill in Bucksport, which closed in 2014. Photo by Lydia Hart.

By Lydia Hart

BUCKSPORT–Bucksport became the first town in Hancock County to impose a moratorium on data centers after a “data center site selector company” expressed interest in the property that once housed the Verso Paper Mill. 

The data center site selector company first communicated with the town in early June of 2026, according to Rich Rotella, Bucksport's Community and Economic Development Director.

Once word spread about a potential data center in downtown Bucksport, residents began airing their grievances to Bucksport's city council. 

On Sept. 10, the town of Bucksport held its first discussions, where town councilor Tracey Hair advocated for the passing of the moratorium.

“I do want to be clear that I am not raising this because there is a specific proposal on the table; I’m not aware of one. I’m not trying to close the door on responsible economic development,” Hair said.

Hair initially proposed a 90-day moratorium so that “the town has time to put the right local standards and regulations in place before we’re trying to answer these questions under pressure.”  But other councilors said that 90 days “is not enough” given concerns about the data centers' water usage, high-decibel noise, heat output, and water waste that would be dumped into the Penobscot River. 

The Town Council ultimately decided, in a 5-2 vote at its Oct. 8 meeting, to implement a six-month moratorium on data centers in the town of Bucksport. 

Residents of Bucksport have mixed feelings about the moratorium and what a data center could mean for the town. 

“I definitely don't think we should have one. I think that AI is the devil and we need to pay attention to James Cameron [who directed Terminator, a fantasy feature film about a war between humans and machines] and not let them burn up all the water,” Leah Brages of Bucksport said.

Joe Peak of Bucksport, however, is optimistic about potential economic opportunities from a data center. 

“I don't know a lot about it, but if it's going to create jobs, then I’m for it,” Peak said.