Recent local opposition has driven parish-level pauses, including Ascension Parish’s 90-day moratorium in late October 2026 and New Orleans’ ongoing citywide interim zoning restriction through early 2027, amid resident concerns over power grid strain, water consumption, and noise from hyperscale AI data centers. Governor Jeff Landry’s October Ratepayer and Community Protection Framework tightened sales-tax exemption criteria for projects like Meta’s Richland Parish facility without enacting a statewide ban, reflecting state support for “digital factories” while addressing ratepayer impacts. The next regular legislative session and Louisiana Public Service Commission decisions on large-load interconnections represent key near-term catalysts that could shift momentum toward or away from broader restrictions.