“We don’t yet know whether a particular data center would be good or bad for Canton, and the town needs rules before accepting one.”
This is a hypothetical quote, but it’s reasonable.
But if the eventual policy becomes: “No data centers, regardless of their power source, water consumption, tax contribution, environmental controls or economic benefit” — again hypothetical — then I think Canton risks making a significant economic-development mistake.
The former mill site has already lost its original purpose. The town is spending tens of millions on infrastructure, buying portions of the property, dealing with environmental remediation, and trying to replace a massive lost tax and employment base.