DeSoto County commissioners weigh data center moratorium - WINK News
DeSoto County commissioners are set to discuss a temporary moratorium on data center applications, with Commissioner Jerod Gross proposing the motion. The discussion comes amidst public concerns about heat, noise, water usage, and the environmental impact of large data centers, including three applications currently under review.
DeSoto County commissioners are scheduled to meet on Tuesday to deliberate on a proposed temporary moratorium concerning data center developments. Commissioner Jerod Gross has put forward a motion to instruct the county attorney to draft a temporary halt on the acceptance, review, or approval of data center applications.
The county currently has three data center applications pending. These include a 35,000-square-foot facility, a nearly 3.7 million-square-foot hyperscale data center, and another almost 4.7 million-square-foot project combining a data center with an electrical generation facility. The proposed developments would be situated on Northeast Roan Street, close to DeSoto High School, extending towards State Road 70.
Local residents, like Lisa Adams, have voiced concerns regarding the potential for increased heat generation, noise pollution, and environmental impacts, particularly concerning Florida's unique ecosystem. Water usage is a significant community issue, though Erica Robinson, a spokesperson for DeSoto County Industrial Project (DCIP), stated the company plans to utilize a closed-loop water system and reclaimed wastewater.
These local concerns echo broader sentiments across the country, including worries about rising power bills, the alteration of small-town character, and strain on water supplies. Furthermore, in May, Florida's governor signed a new law aimed at regulating hyperscale data centers by ensuring their costs don't burden electric bills, granting local communities final say, and enhancing protections for state water resources.