Old Bridge considers preventative AI data center ban following heated public meeting
Old Bridge Township is now considering a ban on data centers altogether, following a heated public debate sparked by a proposed three-year moratorium.
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Communities across New Jersey are pushing back against proposed AI data centers. And now one town is taking a proactive approach, even without a project formally on the table.
Old Bridge Township is now considering a ban on data centers altogether, following a heated public debate sparked by a proposed three-year moratorium.
“I wasn’t looking to stop it completely,” said Councilman David Merwin, who introduced the proposal. “I was looking to put a moratorium on it so we could pump the brakes, make sure our laws were right, and go from there. Well, it turned into a big hullabaloo.”
The proposal quickly drew strong public interest, leading to a heated township council meeting Tuesday night.
“We can disagree strongly without attacking each other’s character,” said Councilman Darin Accettulli on Tuesday. “The temperature needs to go down.”
Unlike other communities facing similar debates, no official application to build a data center has been submitted in Old Bridge Township. However, the idea alone was enough to galvanize residents.
"We've seen so many townships where the data centers were forced upon them," one resident said. "I think being proactive with the ban is a good idea."
Though multiple council members denied that an AI data center was ever in the works, Merwin said there had been preliminary indications that a project could be considered.
He pointed to a stretch of land along Marlboro Road, a quiet street off of Route 18.
“I had been kind of tipped off that there was some discussion at the Old Bridge Redevelopment Authority in reference to data centers,” he said.
After hearing feedback from residents, township officials are now weighing a stronger response than originally proposed.
Instead of a temporary pause, the council moved to draft a measure that would permanently ban data centers in Old Bridge.
“We can’t get away from it,” Merwin said. “Everything we do is AI, but it doesn’t need to be in Old Bridge."
