Arkansas Advocate: Data center moratorium in Arkansas’ most populous county didn’t pass, review finds
A yearlong moratorium on new data centers in Pulaski County, Arkansas, failed to pass the Quorum Court due to a miscount of votes, with only eight of the required ten votes in favor. Despite the error, a justice of the peace plans to reintroduce the ordinance, highlighting ongoing public opposition and discussions around data center regulations. Concerns over land, water, and electricity usage continue to drive calls for more limits on development.
A proposed yearlong moratorium on new data centers in Pulaski County, Arkansas, will not take effect after Pulaski County Clerk Terri Hollingsworth admitted to miscounting the votes. The measure, which required a two-thirds majority (10 out of 15 votes) from the Quorum Court, only received eight votes in favor, with six against and one present. Clerk Hollingsworth issued an apology for the error.
Justice of the Peace Julie Blackwood, a Democratic member of the court, expressed shock at the miscount and announced her intention to reintroduce the ordinance. The original proposal included an amendment to exempt AVAIO Digital's planned data center near Wrightsville, which drew criticism from opponents like Wendell Griffen, the Democratic nominee for county judge.
Griffen and other residents have raised concerns about data centers' impact on county resources, including land, water, and electricity. The AVAIO Digital project is one of five planned data centers for Arkansas, which also includes a Google facility at the Port of Little Rock. Separately, the Quorum Court has sent proposed data center regulations to the county planning department for further study, and the Little Rock Board of Directors is also set to consider proposed regulations.