Italian council sets 200% tax on data center development in agricultural zones — aims to spur the use of old industrial areas instead and limit environmental impact

Lombardy approved a 100% tax on data center projects in rural areas and a 200% tax in agricultural and green zones.

Officials say the policy is meant to steer hyperscalers away from farmland and toward disused industrial sites.

The region is responding to rising data center demand and concerns over energy use and land pressure.

Milan already has Italy’s highest concentration of data centers, making Lombardy a key battleground for AI infrastructure.