‘Project River’ developers accept City of Cleveland’s requirements on potential data center
Developers of 'Project River,' an $11 billion industrial campus in Bradley County, Tennessee, have agreed to stricter, legally binding requirements from the City of Cleveland for their proposed data center. These requirements address community concerns regarding noise, light, environmental impact, and infrastructure. The project is awaiting a vote from the city council in October.
Developers of 'Project River,' a proposed $11 billion industrial campus spanning 850 acres in Bradley County, Tennessee, have agreed to stricter, legally binding regulations set forth by the City of Cleveland. This decision comes in direct response to significant public feedback and community concerns about the potential data center project.
Lucas Sellier, one of the project's developers, stated that these new rules hold them accountable to their development intentions and require a number of studies before the project can proceed, including traffic, environmental impact, and emergency management plans. These 10 required studies are in addition to any state and federal permitting. Community members have expressed concerns about potential air, water, and noise pollution, with two online petitions garnering over 5,000 combined signatures.
In addition to the studies, the agreement mandates that the Wright family, the developers, provide land and funding for a new emergency response station on Lower River Road and improve infrastructure, including access points and traffic signals. The project also restricts log trucks from using city streets or county roads, and the data center must not be viewable from public roads or adjoining properties. Developers are scheduled to present the project to the city council and planning commission on September 21st, with the city council expected to vote on the project sometime in October.