Cranbury Bans Data Centers and Immigrant Detention Centers

Township becomes latest New Jersey town to ban data centers as advocates push for a statewide moratorium

CRANBURY, NJ — Tonight, the Cranbury Township Committee voted to ban data centers within the township, joining a growing list of New Jersey municipalities that have passed their own local bans. The vote follows months of organizing by Cranbury residents and the Climate Revolution Action Network (CRAN), the grassroots Gen-Z led organization leading the fight for local data center bans across the state.

“Proactive leadership means protecting our community before harm is done, not waiting until it’s too late,” said Cranbury Committeewoman Eman El-Badawi. “By banning data centers, we are protecting Cranbury’s environment, infrastructure, and quality of life from an unchecked industry. By banning detention centers, we are making it clear that Cranbury will not participate in tearing families apart or profiting from human suffering. Today, we chose to put our people and our environment first.”

New Jersey has more towns banning data centers than any other state, but local bans only protect the towns that pass them. CRAN and its coalition partners are now pressing Governor Mikie Sherrill and the state legislature to act.

“Data centers are jacking up our utility bills, polluting our air and water, and making our quality of life worse. The Cranbury Township Committee deserves a lot of credit for being proactive here,” said Ben Dziobek, Executive Director of CRAN. “Now it’s on the governor and state legislature to follow their lead. A statewide moratorium would give everyone in New Jersey the same protections that Cranbury residents just won for themselves.”

CRAN is part of a growing coalition working to pass a statewide moratorium on data centers, including the Pinelands Alliance, Food & Water Watch, and Sustain South Jersey. The coalition is calling for a three-year moratorium on data centers as well as codified safeguards that protect residents from rising electric bills, air pollution, and noise pollution.

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