Bill Hixon, Republican running for re-election in S.C. House District 83
South Carolina House candidate Bill Hixon said decisions about data center construction should be made by local communities rather than through a statewide moratorium. He cited Edgefield County's zoning regulations and said communities must weigh data centers' economic benefits against demands on electricity, water, infrastructure and natural resources.
Bill Hixon, a Republican seeking re-election to South Carolina House District 83, said the state should let local governments and residents decide whether to allow data centers. He opposed a one-size-fits-all statewide approach, arguing that communities directly affected by development should have a meaningful role in the process.
Hixon, chairman of the House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee, pointed to Edgefield County's zoning regulations as an example of local efforts to manage data center growth. He said officials should consider potential investment and property-tax revenue alongside impacts on electricity, water, infrastructure, natural resources and property rights.