Bottoms confronts Jackson in governor debate
Georgia gubernatorial candidates Keisha Lance Bottoms and Rick Jackson debated the rapid growth of data centers during a televised town hall in Doraville. Bottoms proposed an immediate statewide moratorium on new data center construction, while Jackson opposed a blanket ban and supported approvals conditioned on community support, federal environmental oversight and local tax or utility benefits.
Democratic candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms and Republican candidate Rick Jackson made data center growth a central part of their energy and environmental policy discussion during their only televised Georgia gubernatorial debate, held at Assembly Studios in Doraville. Bottoms called for an immediate statewide moratorium on new data center construction and argued that eminent domain should be reserved for extreme circumstances.
Jackson rejected a blanket moratorium and proposed a three-part standard for future developments: community support, strict Environmental Protection Agency oversight and direct tax or utility relief for residents. He also denied claims that he held investments in four data center operations, while criticizing Bottoms over incentives approved for Atlanta facilities during her tenure as mayor.