Warren County Committee Recommends Data Center Moratorium

The Warren County Economic and Agriculture Committee has unanimously recommended a 12-month moratorium on data centers, Bitcoin mining, and similar facilities. The full Warren County Commission is scheduled to vote on this recommendation on June 22. The decision follows a packed public meeting where residents voiced significant concerns regarding the potential Hixson Data Center and broader impacts of AI data centers in the county.

Key figures supporting the moratorium include Warren County Director of Building and Environmental Codes Cole Miller and County Executive Terry Bell. Miller highlighted that current fire codes lack specific definitions for data centers, creating enforcement gray areas, and noted that the International Codes Council is developing new guidelines. Bell stated the moratorium would provide time for the county to develop updated building codes and seek additional regulatory authority from the state legislature, emphasizing a desire to protect residents while acknowledging a total ban would be unconstitutional. He also clarified that the proposed Hixson Data Center, located within McMinnville city limits, would not be affected by a county moratorium due to jurisdictional boundaries. A representative from Caney Fork Electric, John Chisam, addressed the committee, stating their cooperative does not have the authority to serve the Hixson project and that their substations could not currently handle the estimated 25-megawatt load.

Public comments during the meeting focused on a range of issues, including excessive water usage, high power consumption, noise pollution, heat island effects, and general environmental impact. Residents like Rick Mariello and Donnie Parton (an IT professional) urged protection for future generations and questioned the realism of job creation and water usage estimates provided by developers. Lillian Jensen, who leads a Facebook group opposing AI data centers, raised concerns about hazardous materials and the heat island effect, citing studies on increased surface temperatures. Another citizen advocated for robust taxation if data centers are eventually permitted. The committee passed the moratorium recommendation with a 5-0 vote.