Two Little Rock city directors back data center moratorium as officials weigh new regulations
Two Little Rock city directors are advocating for a temporary moratorium on data center development, despite Mayor Frank Scott Jr. introducing proposed regulations for these facilities. The city board is set to consider an ordinance on regulations next week, which would apply to a major Google data center planned for the Port of Little Rock. Critics, including city directors Capi Peck and Kathy Webb, argue a moratorium is needed to fully address concerns regarding electricity costs, water usage, environmental impact, and tax revenue.
At least two members of the Little Rock Board of Directors, Capi Peck and Kathy Webb, are advocating for a temporary moratorium on data center development. This call comes as city officials prepare to weigh a proposed set of regulations for data centers, introduced by Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr., which the board is scheduled to consider in an upcoming ordinance.
The proposed regulations aim to establish buffer zones, restrict data centers to industrially zoned areas, mitigate noise pollution, and ensure adequate utility capacity. These rules would apply to Google's planned hyperscale data center at the Port of Little Rock, which is expected to span 1.43 million square feet and require over 100 megawatts of power. The ordinance also includes restrictions on cooling systems to minimize water consumption, barring on-site and off-site groundwater wells as primary cooling sources, and requiring water use reports from major developers. Central Arkansas Water CEO Tad Bohannon noted the Google facility could use up to 4 million gallons per day at peak.
Directors Peck and Webb, however, argue for a complete pause on construction, citing unanswered questions about electricity costs, water resiliency, environmental exposure, and tax revenue adequacy. Their stance highlights a shift from their earlier support for the Google project, which they say was approved with little initial notice. Mayor Scott, in contrast, pointed to a 2023 state law, the "Arkansas Data Centers Act of 2023" (Act 851), which he says restricts municipalities from outright prohibiting data center construction. City Director Virgil Miller Jr. echoed concerns about the unclear scope of Act 851, which primarily addresses "digital asset mining" operations.
The debate in Little Rock follows a recent attempt by the Pulaski County Quorum Court to impose a 12-month moratorium on new data centers in unincorporated areas, which ultimately failed to pass as an emergency ordinance. Another data center from AVAIO Digital is planned for southern Pulaski County. The ongoing discussions underscore the tension between economic development incentives and environmental and community impact concerns regarding data center expansion in the region.