Evidence Intelligence

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Policy intelligence brief

MA-EO-658 — Executive Order 658 establishes requirements for responsible data-center development

Bars Massachusetts permitting agencies from approving data-center projects above 25 MW unless the applicant demonstrates conformance with the state framework and submits a community benefits agreement; also directs clean-energy and ratepayer-protection requirements and prohibits state-agency nondisclosure agreements with data centers.

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Legal stateExecutive actionScope and legal effect depend on the signed instrument and implementing authority.
JurisdictionMassachusettsState-source record
Latest recorded action2026-09-08Signed by Governor Maura Healey
Primary sourceState executiveOriginal public record linked

What the evidence says

Key findings

01
How it operates

Community participation · Disclosure & reporting · Moratorium · Siting & permitting · Utility rate / large-load tariff

Gives affected residents a formal voice — hearings, comment periods, or benefit agreements — before or as a project proceeds. Forces a data center’s energy, water, and impact data into public view, so regulators, ratepayers, and communities can see figures operators would otherwise keep private. Check whether the policy creates, changes, or removes a development pause or prohibition, and which facilities and approvals it covers. Sets where and how a data center can be built, and which authority and reviews can accelerate or block a project. Changes who pays for the grid — shifting the cost of new power supply and upgrades toward large data-center loads instead of ordinary ratepayers.

Comparable precedents

Related approaches worth comparing

Selected by shared tracked mechanisms or themes, with cross jurisdiction examples prioritized. Similarity is not legal equivalence.

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Relationship map

MA-EO-658 evidence graph

Executive Order 658 establishes requirements for responsible data-center development

12 nodes · 11 evidenced edges
Policy record 1Policy theme 5Policy mechanism 2Documented actor 1Policy family 1Jurisdiction 1Original source 1
explicitly concerns: Theme named in the title or stored summaryexplicitly concerns: Theme named in the title or stored summaryexplicitly concerns: Theme named in the title or stored summaryclassified under: Fixed-vocabulary topic classificationclassified under: Fixed-vocabulary topic classificationsignals mechanism: Mechanism signal derived from the tracked record textsignals mechanism: Mechanism signal derived from the tracked record textapplies in: Jurisdiction recorded for this source typedocumented by: Original source URL stored with the policy recordissued by: Issuing executive office named in the tracked public recordmember of family: standalonePolicy recordMA-EO-658Executive Order 658 establi…MA-EO-658: Executive Order 658 establishes requirements for responsible data-center developmentPolicy themeEnergyExplicit record textEnergy: Explicit record textPolicy themeSiting & Land UseExplicit record textSiting & Land Use: Explicit record textPolicy themeRatepayerExplicit record textRatepayer: Explicit record textPolicy themeCertification & Standa…AI-assisted policy themeCertification & Standards: AI-assisted policy themePolicy themeGrid ReliabilityAI-assisted policy themeGrid Reliability: AI-assisted policy themePolicy mechanismCommunity participationText-derived policy signalCommunity participation: Text-derived policy signalPolicy mechanismDisclosure & reportingText-derived policy signalDisclosure & reporting: Text-derived policy signalJurisdictionMassachusettsState policy jurisdictionMassachusetts: State policy jurisdictionOriginal sourceState executiveOriginal public sourceState executive: Original public sourceDocumented actorOffice of the Massachu…executive officeOffice of the Massachusetts Governor: executive officePolicy familyExecutive Order 658 es…MAExecutive Order 658 establishes requirements for responsible data-center development: MA

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Inspectable edges

Relationship receipts

Each edge states what was observed and why it appears. An edge never implies private influence, support, opposition, or causation.