Medford Council to consider law banning data centers, driven by the AI boom, at Tuesday meeting.

Joining a list of many other New Jersey municipalities, Medford Township Council on Tuesday will decide on a law to ban data centers from town.

The ordinance — up for a second reading and public hearing at the 6:30 p.m. meeting — also will be reviewed by the Planning Board at its Wednesday meeting.

Towns and cities across New Jersey have been banning the giant data centers over concerns of excessive use of water, the impact on electric rates and noise. Cherry Hill, the largest municipality in South Jersey, will have no data centers, Mayor David Fleisher has vowed, although the Township Council has yet to consider a law against the centers.

Massive data centers have been driven by the boom and computing requirements of Artificial Intelligence.

"The Township of Medford's Master Plan emphasizes protection of the township's character, agricultural lands, scenic landscapes, environmental resources, wildlife habitats, and historic and cultural heritage," Medford's proposed law states. "Data centers by nature present an intense unique form of land use and development posing significant challenges relating to electricity consumption, noise, air quality, water use, community character, and long-term planning objectives," it adds.

The proposed ordinance cites "preliminary studies noted by the state Legislature" indicating some data centers consume electricity equivalent to the "output of a small modular nuclear reactor."

Data centers, which are defined in the ordinance, are "explicitly prohibited in every zone within the Township of Medford," the proposed ordinance states.