Renewable Energy Opposition Tracker
A continuously updated record of local opposition to clean energy across the United States — county solar and wind moratoriums, battery storage bans, project rejections, developer withdrawals, and the lawsuits that follow. Every entry links to its source. Updated weekly from our In the Trenches reporting.
169
Tracked actions
45
Moratoriums, bans & restrictions
24
Projects rejected
36
States
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Latest Tracked Actions
Alameda County, California — Data center moratorium approved by Oakland amid AI backlash
Oakland City Council unanimously approved a 45-day moratorium on data center development amid an AI backlash, with residents railing against the artificial intelligence industry at the council meeting. The pause reflects growing community opposition to data center expansion.
Los Angeles County, California — South El Monte Puts 45 Day Moratorium on Data Center and Battery Facility Development
South El Monte enacted a 45-day moratorium on data center and battery facility development amid community pressure for a total ban. Supporters of the moratorium want to go further and also block new warehouses in the area.
Baldwin County, Alabama — Baldwin County Commission approves 180-day moratorium on rezoning, data centers and renewa
The Baldwin County Commission approved a 180-day moratorium on rezoning requests and new data center and renewable energy projects. The moratorium reflects broad local resistance to rapid development of these facilities.
New York — Governor Hochul and Representatives Ocasio-Cortez and Ryan Highlight New York’s Nation-Lea
Governor Hochul, alongside U.S. Representatives Ocasio-Cortez and Ryan, highlighted New York's enacted moratorium on hyperscale data center construction. The moratorium is framed as a response to environmental and community concerns.
Cortland County, New York — Cortlandville Town Board Authorizes Drafting Moratorium on Wind Energy
The Cortlandville Town Board voted unanimously to authorize the town attorney to draft a proposed moratorium on wind energy projects. The move signals strong local resistance to wind development in the town.
Cortland County, New York — Cortlandville mulls wind energy moratorium
The Cortlandville Town Board is considering a moratorium on wind energy projects. Lawmakers plan to discuss the measure at a town board meeting.
Ottawa County, Michigan — Runestad leads effort to halt solar development in Ottawa County
State Sen. Jim Runestad and legislative colleagues sent a letter to the Michigan Public Service Commission requesting a halt to solar development in Ottawa County. The effort represents organized legislative opposition to solar projects in the area.
Indiana — To Block Solar Energy Projects, One Community Lumped Them in With Junkyards and Adult Book
An Indiana community lumped solar energy projects in with junkyards and adult bookstores in local zoning rules to block solar development. The case illustrates how deep community resistance can overcome even streamlined permitting processes.
Kenosha County, Wisconsin — Robin Energy Goes To State After Local Opposition, Seeks Approval For Controversial 200-Me
Robin Energy withdrew its local applications for a 200-megawatt battery storage project in Wheatland after facing fierce local opposition. The developer is now seeking state-level approval instead.
Massachusetts — A US city approves a one year moratorium on data centers and Battery Energy Storage Sites
A central Massachusetts community enacted a one-year moratorium on new data centers and battery energy storage system facilities. The moratorium was driven by community concerns about safety and impacts.
Calumet County, Wisconsin — Why Calumet County hasn't passed a data center moratorium
Calumet County has not passed a formal data center moratorium because its existing zoning ordinance already prohibits data centers. The county's rules effectively serve as a ban amid broader regional debates.
Howard County, Maryland — Howard County Council weighs pause on solar energy projects
Howard County Council is weighing a proposed moratorium that would temporarily pause certain solar energy projects. The bill remains under consideration.
Suffolk County, Virginia — Local landowner disappointed with solar farm vote, land-use process
A solar project in Suffolk was denied, with a local farmer expressing disappointment about the land-use decision. The landowner raised concerns about fairness in weighing property rights and ordinances.
Rio Blanco County, Colorado — Rangely residents voice opposition to data centers
Rangely residents voiced opposition to data centers and the Town Council voted 4-1 against advancing Stage 2 of a geothermal study connected to the data center proposal.
Idaho — An Idaho County Banned Wind and Solar Projects. Some Locals Regret It.
An Idaho county banned wind and solar projects via a moratorium, though some locals including the Republican commissioner who instigated it now express regret. The article examines the aftermath of the enacted ban.
Illinois — Quincy City Council approves Clay sports complex bonds, new mural, awaits decision about s
A solar farm proposal at 36th and Payson in Quincy was previously rejected and is back before the plan commission for reconsideration. The project faces ongoing scrutiny from local officials.
Madison County, Ohio — Ohio's largest solar project gets state approval — again
Ohio's largest solar project, Oak Run Solar, received state approval after years of legal and regulatory challenges, including local government attempts to block it.
San Bernardino County, California — Chino reverses course and approves large battery energy storage system
After the Chino Planning Commission denied development plans for a controversial battery energy storage system over the summer, the city has reversed course and approved the facility. The project had faced prior rejection due to community concerns.
Suffolk County, New York — Town Bans Large-Scale BESS Facilities
The Town of Islip has enacted a ban on large-scale battery energy storage system facilities after two years of debate. The ban reflects local opposition to BESS installations in the community.
Crittenden County, Arkansas — Crittenden County residents seek ballot measure over wind turbines
Crittenden County residents are seeking a ballot measure to oppose wind turbines in their county. The issue continues to generate community activism after previous controversy.
Methodology & Sourcing
Entries are compiled weekly from local and trade press coverage identified during our In the Trenches opposition reporting. Every entry links to the source that reported it; we record what sources report and do not independently assert the legal status of any ordinance. Entries marked Verified have been additionally checked by our editors against the cited source; all others are labeled Reported.
Dates reflect what the data supports: “Week of” entries carry the date of the weekly report that surfaced them (the underlying action occurred that week or shortly before); exact dates, months, or years appear where sources state them, and are shown at that precision.
This tracker complements — and gratefully acknowledges — the annual Columbia Law Sabin Center Opposition Report and the DOE/NREL siting ordinance databases, which document the underlying ordinances at annual cadence. Corrections: contact us.
Citing this tracker: cite as “CleanPowerDaily Opposition Tracker” with a link to this page or the relevant state page. Free to reference with attribution. The full dataset is available as machine-readable JSON.