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# Arkansas County’s Data Center Moratorium Failed Over Vote  Miscount
- URL: https://broadbandbreakfast.com/arkansas-countys-data-center-moratorium-failed-over-vote-miscount/
- Published: 2026-06-03T14:30:52.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-21T21:51:38.000Z
- Description: Pulaski’s moratorium fell short of the two-thirds threshold for emergency ordinances.
- Author: Zach Stark
- Tags: Data Center, Arkansas, Terri Hollingsworth, Pulaski County, #with-siderail, Thomas Nesel, Phil Stowers, AVAIO, Denver, Minneapolis

WASHINGTON, June 3, 2026 – Pulaski County in Arkansas proposed a yearlong moratorium on data center development but it will not take effect after officials determined the vote had been miscounted. 

The Pulaski County Quorum Court initially [appeared to approve the emergency ordinance](https://arkansasadvocate.com/2026/05/27/arkansas-most-populous-county-approves-data-center-moratorium-but-with-exemption/?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) last week, but County Clerk **Terri Hollingsworth** later said the measure received only eight votes in favor, short of the 10 needed for passage. The original count showed the ordinance receiving exactly 10 votes.

[![CTA Image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/29/97/29976d9d-89ea-4c77-8c0b-0e8a0eafed35/content/images/2026/05/banner_free-nli_topics-2.png)](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/tags/#/portal) 

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Several jurisdictions have moved to restrict data center development across the country as concerns grow over power use, water demand, and local impacts. Last month, [Denver passed a yearlong](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/denver-passes-one-year-moratorium-on-data-centers) moratorium and [Minneapolis passed a six-month](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/minneapolis-approves-six-month-moratorium-on-large-data-centers/) moratorium on new data centers. 

Pulaski's failed ordinance had carved out an exemption for AVAIO Digital Leo, a planned data center near Wrightsville that has drawn contention from county residents. Pulaski has about 405,000 people.

According to project manager **Thomas Nesel**, the center’s daily water demand would be about 200,000 gallons during warmer months due to [cooling needs](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/cooling-constraints-emerge-as-major-challenge-for-data-centers/). The data center is also power-intensive, initially set to require 150 megawatts with demand [estimated to reach 1 gigawatt](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/avaio-digital-announces-new-large-scale-ai-ready-data-center-and-power-campus-in-little-rock-arkansas-302658354.html?ref=broadbandbreakfast.com) as the facility grows. 

Republican Justice of the Peace **Phil Stowers** said he supported the exemption because AVAIO has “spent a heck of a lot of money to invest in this community.” 

Democratic Justice of the Peace Julie Blackwood, the original sponsor of the ordinance, said she plans to reintroduce it as soon as she can.