Canton, North Carolina, enacted a one-year moratorium on data center and Bitcoin farm development after a Feb. 11 hearing drew about 200 concerned residents. Mayor Zeb Smathers clarified no formal proposal exists for the former Pactiv Evergreen paper mill site, but the town preemptively labeled such facilities a "dangerous" and "disruptive" threat to small-town life.

The action stems from deep-seated anxiety over the 185-acre downtown mill site's uncertain future since its 2023 closure, which eliminated 1,200 jobs. While owner Spritas Worldwide has considered various redevelopment options, residents and local businesses fear a data center would stifle foot traffic, offer few jobs, and irrevocably alter the community's character and environmental assets like the Pigeon River.

This local revolt mirrors a growing national backlash against data centers, critical infrastructure for AI firms, as utilities grapple with soaring demand and public concern over environmental impacts grows. The moratorium gives Canton's board time to draft specific regulations, pausing all applications and directly challenging the assumption that such facilities are an automatic win for former industrial sites.