Chatham County has become the second North Carolina county to halt the permitting of new data centers; a move local officials say will allow them to develop zoning rules and study the impacts of these energy-intensive facilities. During a special meeting Wednesday, Chatham commissioners unanimously approved a 12-month moratorium on data centers and cryptocurrency mines. The policy applies to the county’s unincorporated areas and will last through February 2027, or until the county approves new zoning regulations. “Our goal is to protect residents, natural resources, and quality of life,” board chair Amanda Robertson ... (full story)