Public's opposition to data centers dominates Blount Commission meeting
Public opposition to data centers dominated a Blount County Board of Commissioners meeting, with citizens citing concerns over utility costs, noise pollution, and environmental damage. Speakers urged the county to take action within its zoning authority to make the area less appealing for such developments. The board acknowledged its limited zoning control to areas outside city limits and noted no data center proposals were currently in its jurisdiction.
The Blount County Board of Commissioners meeting on Thursday was largely consumed by public outcry against data centers, overshadowing regular budget approvals. Twelve citizens addressed the commission during the public comments session, expressing widespread concerns about the potential negative impacts of data centers.
Speakers specifically referenced the former Alcoa South Plant site as a potential future data center location, raising alarms about increased utility costs, noise pollution, environmental damage, and adverse health effects. They urged the county to utilize its zoning authority to discourage data center development within its jurisdiction.
Board Chairman Jared Anderson (District 5-A) clarified that the commission's zoning authority extends only to properties outside city limits and that, to his knowledge, no data center proposals were currently under consideration within that jurisdiction. Despite this, the public's active engagement on the data center issue took up significantly more time than the board's routine business.