PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • April 1, 2026
Around the country, we’ve seen irresponsible data center projects that strain electric grids, raise ratepayer costs, waste precious water, generate constant noise and damage local communities. Maine legislators are right to want to protect us from the abuses seen elsewhere. Smart policy can protect our environment and still allow the state to participate in this once-in-a-generation opportunity. Sanford Woods was designed to meet those expectations. It will not connect to the electric grid. It will not drive up utility costs for Maine ratepayers or compete for scarce capacity. We chose a design that uses Maine’s abundant cold air rather than water-guzzling cooling systems. Sanford Woods would add billions of dollars to the city’s tax base, creating hundreds of high-paying permanent jobs. A statewide blanket moratorium on data centers is the wrong tool. It’s regressive. Mainers should expect legislators to protect the environment and the public interest while also enabling responsible growth. ~ Randy Gibbs, lead developer, Sanford Woods