Monthly Archives: July 2026

Local governmental entities in Eastern Maryland are closing land use and zoning loopholes to prevent data centers. Worcester & Caroline Counties have a one year moratorium and is re-writing zoning laws. What about a facility that transmits data but does not store data? The county is also considering how local land use requirements and the […]

Is the era of permanent data center bans upon us? Oakley, California has a temporary data center development ban. Now it is making waves by integrating a permanent ban in its ordinances. As the city updates its zoning ordinances and regulations it seeks a permanent ban on data center development to protect water and power […]

We’ve talked about programs in Louisiana and Florida that help homeowners fortify their roofs. Now, Texas enters the fray with a proposal from Governor Abbott to establish a $400 million grant fund for roof fortification. Texas is the only Gulf state that does not offer incentives for stronger construction. Governing

San Antonio is redeveloping closed schools. What are closed schools becoming? Trade & technical schools; affordable housing; and early childhood education facilities. Local leaders note that closing schools is a divestment in the community. Governing

In 2023, California began implementing AI enabled early wildfire detection. The system has 1263 cameras and 21 emergency command centers. Entities with access to the detection system include state and local fire agencies, emergency management organizations, utilities and other public- and private-sector entities. In 2025, 3600 wildfire incidents were mitigated. Route Fifty

Add LAPD to the list of entities ending contracts with Flock cameras over privacy and civil liberties concerns. Other cities that have also ended Flock contracts over similar concerns include  Mountain View, California and South Portland, Maine. Tech Crunch

We’ve all heard about New York’s 1 year moratorium on datacenter development. Let’s get into the key procedural point of this ban. The New York ban was created by the Governor’s Executive Order.  No legislative votes, no public hearings… Politico notes that experts say this is s signal of more moratoriums to come as public skepticism […]

The November ballot in Bellingham, Washington will include a proposition to prohibit the use of algorithmic rent increases. “In 2023 alone, these algorithms are estimated to have cost American renters more than $3.8 billion.” Government Technology

The Institute for Justice gave Texas eminent domain laws a B-. R Street notes issues that Texas should fix including clearing up grey areas of public use, limiting court deference to municipalities in declaring a public use, and eminent domain use by private entities. R Street refers readers to the State GOP Party call for […]

When the new U.S. Supreme Court term begins in October, the Court will hear Leonard Hoffmann v. WBI Energy Transmission Inc.. The issue in Hoffman is how gas companies under federal law compensate landowners for a taking by an interstate pipeline. The case also concerns compensation for attorneys fees when state law permits compensation for attorney […]