Local candidates talk data centers, energy policy at environmental forum
Three Democratic candidates for Georgia state office discussed data center impacts at an environmental forum in Athens-Clarke County. All opposed current data center expansion, though they differed on whether to impose a construction moratorium, repeal tax incentives, require developers to fund grid upgrades, and strengthen water and environmental regulations.
Suzanna Karatassos, Eric Gisler and Ray Smith discussed data center policy at the Forum on Energy and the Environment at the Athens-Clarke County Library. Questions from the audience and moderators focused largely on the effects of data centers on local communities, including electricity demand, transmission infrastructure, water use and environmental impacts.
Smith and Karatassos supported a temporary moratorium on new data center construction while safeguards are developed, with Karatassos proposing a one-year pause. Gisler opposed an immediate moratorium but called for repealing state tax incentives, while all three candidates supported greater regulation, public comment, clean-energy incentives and requiring data centers to cover the infrastructure costs associated with their operations.