Iowa
Iowa saw a broad county-level moratorium wave in 2026 — at least eight-plus counties paused data-center development — alongside Linn County's landmark 18-month moratorium and comprehensive ordinance, plus a statewide utility-reporting and cost-shift-tariff bill (CBS2 Iowa, Inside Climate News).
ILens Signals
Civic/Governance Barriers activates on moratorium-class action (C1) — governance instruments on the electoral, legislative, and regulatory surface (protocol §10; Overview Civic breakout). Water/Geology and Energy/Power are the dominant county-level stressors (water studies, water-use agreements). Capital Flows is a real secondary stressor: HF 2690's separate data-center tariff to prevent cost-shifting and a bar on construction until a tariff is filed are cost-allocation/insurability mechanics (Iowa Public Radio).
IIKey 2026 Races
None currently identified for the 2026-07-27 cut. Democrat Nathan Sage, who had called for a nationwide data-center construction moratorium, ended his U.S. Senate bid Feb. 16, 2026 (Political Wire). Local action (Linn County moratorium; Fairfax ordinance advancing) is council/board governance rather than a named candidate contest. Held pending a later sweep.
IIIMoratorium · Ban Status
A county moratorium wave, no statewide pause. Linn County adopted an 18-month moratorium (2-1) effective July 1, 2026 through Jan. 1, 2028, following its Feb. 2026 comprehensive ordinance requiring water studies and water-use agreements (Linn County, Inside Climate News). At least eight-plus counties have paused development, including Johnson, Dubuque (1-yr, May 27), Madison, Plymouth, Sioux, Shelby (thru July 2027), Woodbury (1-yr, June 24, tied to the Salix/MidAmerican project), Story (thru Mar. 31, 2027), Union and Lee (CBS2 Iowa). Fairfax: City Council voted 3–1 on July 14, 2026 to advance (not finally enact) Councilman Dan Wozniak’s proposed indefinite moratorium on high-impact data centers while Planning & Zoning finishes a more stringent ordinance; July 28 agenda set to schedule a public hearing/first consideration (Corridor Business, CBS2 Iowa).
IVRatepayer · Cost-Shift Legislation
HF 2690 (successor to HF 2447) would require data-center water/energy reporting to the DNR and a separate data-center tariff to prevent cost-shifting, barring construction until a tariff is filed; it advanced through House subcommittee (Iowa Public Radio, Iowa Legislature HF 2690).
VBallot Measures
None identified.
VITop Contested Sites
Linn County (Cedar Rapids), home to Google and QTS campuses, is the highest-profile cluster driving the 18-month moratorium; the Salix/MidAmerican project prompted Woodbury County's pause (Inside Climate News, CBS2 Iowa).
VIITalent · Workforce
Jobs-promised-vs-delivered features in county debates; no dominant labor-organizing or AI-displacement storyline this cycle, so Talent/Workforce is not carried as a primary lens.
VIIIData Center Cluster Size
Growing; anchored by Google and QTS in Linn County (Cedar Rapids), with proposed hyperscale sites spread across at least eight-plus counties (CBS2 Iowa).
IXKey Quote
Nathan Sage's exit means Iowa's marquee data-center campaign plank ended; Political Wire reported he 'ends his Senate bid in Iowa' Feb. 16, 2026.