This week in data center drama: community clashes, regulatory shakeups, and a growing call for accountability. In Alabama, Meta’s Huntsville campus is earning praise for its low noise levels, while Bessemer residents are suing to stop a $14B facility they say threatens their health and quality of life. In Indiana, a 95-year-old orchard is fighting to protect its rural charm. And in West Virginia, a new law stripping local zoning control is being slammed as […]
This week, Pittsylvania County, VA, made headlines by firmly rejecting a hotly contested 750-acre data center and onsite power proposal after six months of public debate and protests. The Board of Supervisors denied the rezoning application in a 6-1 vote and blocked the developer’s last-minute withdrawal attempt, effectively delaying any reapplication for a year. The decision underscored the project’s deep community opposition, focused on rural preservation and environmental concerns, and spurred calls to update the […]
As state-level regulations targeting data centers accelerate across the U.S., the industry faces a new wave of political and legislative challenges. From rising energy costs in Georgia to environmental mandates in California, data centers are now firmly in the crosshairs of policymakers. Milldam’s Adam Waitkunas recently spoke with Bisnow’s Dan Rabb about the growing need for data center firms to strengthen their public affairs and government relations strategies. As more states introduce policies that could […]
Mississippi is making moves to attract data centers with Senate Bill SB 3168, offering tax exemptions for projects investing $250M+ and creating high-paying jobs. Meanwhile, Pittsylvania County, VA, faces heated opposition over a proposed 750-acre data center project, with environmental concerns clashing against economic benefits. Virginia’s ongoing data center boom is drawing legislative scrutiny as new laws aim to address noise and energy impacts. Georgia is also weighing new rules requiring data centers to cover […]
Welcome to this week’s edition of Zoning In! In Virginia, lawmakers are at odds over extending tax breaks for data centers through 2050. While some push for long-term incentives to keep Virginia competitive, others want to tie them to energy efficiency mandates. Meanwhile, due to rising electricity demands, Indiana is facing calls for a moratorium on new hyperscale developments. Texas is grappling with power shortages as it attracts massive AI-driven data center investments. California, too, […]
This week’s Zoning In update delves into the evolving regulatory and community landscapes shaping the data center industry. Among the headlines, Talen Energy is challenging FERC’s rejection of its interconnection agreement for a co-located Amazon data center at its Pennsylvania nuclear plant. This case could redefine how energy-intensive AI data centers partner directly with power plants, potentially reshaping the regulatory framework governing grid reliability and supply-demand balance. Meanwhile, in Georgia, the Public Service Commission has […]
This week’s Zoning In features numerous updates and significant opinion pieces. Highlights include a proposed $17 billion development in Georgia that is expected to add $1.6 billion annually to the local tax base, zoning approvals for transformative AI-driven projects in Louisiana, and a high-profile lawsuit in Minnesota that raises questions about transparency and community impact. On the opinion front, there’s growing debate over energy affordability and tax incentives, with critics challenging the role of data […]
This week in Data Center Community Engagement and Regulations Data center growth continues to spark debate across the country as states grapple with infrastructure demands and community concerns. Arizona’s data center boom highlights the strain on its power grid and reports about inequities faced by communities like Navajo Nation. Virginia’s natural gas pipeline expansions aim to meet energy needs while raising environmental questions, as critics call for renewable energy and stricter oversight of the industry. […]
This week in Data Center Community Engagement and Regulations Senate Democrats Push Back on White House’s Data Center Fast-Tracking Plan A group of Senate Democrats is urging President Biden to rethink potential executive actions to expedite data center construction by bypassing environmental regulations. The proposed measures, designed to accelerate the development of AI-supporting data centers, could allow companies to circumvent clean air and water requirements. In a letter to the White House, Senators Sheldon Whitehouse […]
Oversight Battles, Energy Challenges, and Industry Growth As the data center industry continues to expand, local communities and regulatory bodies are grappling with balancing economic growth, infrastructure demands, and environmental impacts. This week’s edition of Zoning In explores pivotal developments shaping the industry, from debates over by-right use policies in Virginia to groundbreaking energy agreements in the Midwest. We also highlight critical legal challenges, op-eds advocating for greater oversight, and the implications of Federal Energy […]
