County-by-county record of moratoriums, bans, project rejections, and other restrictions on utility-scale clean energy in Massachusetts — 9 tracked actions, each linked to the source that reported it. See our Massachusetts clean energy guide for market context, and the methodology for how entries are sourced and labeled.
As of October 2026, CleanPowerDaily tracks 9 restrictive actions against utility-scale clean energy in Massachusetts, spanning 3 counties plus statewide policy: 1 moratorium, ban, or restriction, 2 project rejections, and 6 other actions such as withdrawals or litigation.
| County | Actions | Technology | Most recent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | 1 | Battery Storage | |
| Hampden County | 1 | Wind & Solar | |
| Middlesex County | 2 | Data Center, Battery Storage | |
| Statewide | 5 | Wind & Solar, Data Center, Battery Storage |
Free to cite with attribution to CleanPowerDaily and a link to this page. Full methodology and the machine-readable dataset are on the national tracker.
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.
A proposed moratorium on data centers in Massachusetts is meeting resistance from top Senate Democrats, who are wary of blocking facilities that power AI despite concerns about the technology.
Massachusetts' siting board approved battery storage projects in both Tewksbury and Oakham despite community concerns over safety and environmental impact.
Wendell
The Athol Daily News reported the Massachusetts Land Court upheld the attorney general's rejection of Wendell's battery energy storage bylaw restricting BESS licensing, a setback for towns using local bylaws to limit storage projects.
Town of Blandford
Foley Hoag reported that the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office rejected another municipal solar and battery storage moratorium, continuing an established pattern of overturning local restrictions on clean energy development.
Wendell
The Greenfield Recorder reported Wendell has waged a four-year legal and political Home Rule battle with Massachusetts over local authority to regulate battery energy storage system siting, positioning itself as a test case for other municipalities.
Southwick
MassLive reported the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office ruled against Southwick's temporary moratorium on solar arrays and battery energy storage systems; further specifics pending editor verification of the paywalled source.
Residents are seeking a court injunction to pause the Markley Group's data center expansion in Lowell, arguing that state environmental regulators violated the law in approving it.
State regulators approved a controversial battery energy storage facility near the Andover-Tewksbury line despite significant local opposition to the project.
Spot an error or a missing action? Send a correction. Entries labeled Reported reflect press coverage and have not yet been editor-verified against the underlying record.