Linden officials are preparing to join a growing number of New Jersey municipalities seeking to block data centers, with Mayor Derek Armstead and the City Council set to introduce an ordinance prohibiting artificial-intelligence data centers in every zoning district.
The ordinance will be introduced at the City Council’s September 15 meeting.
As of August 27, at least 69 New Jersey municipalities had banned data centers, according to the Pinelands Alliance, including Bayonne, Jersey City, Millville, Monroe, Neptune, Pemberton, Red Bank, and Summit. The Jersey City ordinance cited the facilities’ enormous electricity and water demands, large footprints, and limited permanent employment.
“In the City of Linden, we take the time to do our homework,” Armstead said. “After a comprehensive review of the potential environmental, infrastructure, and quality-of-life impacts, we concluded that this type of development is not right for our city.”
The U.S. Department of Energy reported that data centers consumed 4.4% of the nation’s electricity in 2023, a share projected to reach between 6.7% and 12% by 2028. A 2026 United Nations University report estimated that data centers worldwide consumed 448 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2025, produced 189 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, and used 4.5 trillion liters of water. DOE data and UNU estimates.
“Our City Council has investigated this issue carefully,” Council President Michele Yamakaitis said. “The clearest way to communicate that AI data centers are not appropriate for Linden is to adopt an ordinance that expressly prohibits them.”
Sixth Ward Councilman Eloy Javier Delgado called climate change “an existential threat” and said blocking data centers would protect Linden’s environment and public safety.
Commissioner Brianna Armstead also connected city officials with the Climate Action Revolution Network, a New Jersey youth climate organization, during the review.
RELATED ARTICLES
-
May 27, 2026 -
June 26, 2026 -
