Spartanburg County Council holds second hearing on future of proposed NorthMark Data Center
Spartanburg County Council's Public Safety Committee held its second hearing regarding the proposed NorthMark Data Center amid ongoing public pushback. The committee, which has no authority to stop construction, aimed to listen to concerns and determine if further action is needed. Concerns include environmental impacts and the significant increase in power usage from an additional 11 turbines that the project developer has requested.
The Spartanburg County Council Public Safety Committee, typically focused on crime and emergency response, held its second hearing regarding the proposed NorthMark Data Center. The meeting addressed ongoing public pushback and environmental concerns surrounding the project, which is currently under construction along South Pine Street.
Councilman Mo Abusaft, Chairman of the Public Safety Committee, emphasized that the committee would not be voting on anything during the hearing and lacks the authority to halt construction. However, he stated that the purpose of the meeting was to listen to public concerns and determine if the County Council needs to 'put up a fight' against the development. Abusaft expressed that he has not yet heard compelling evidence regarding the environmental concerns raised by the public.
The discussions come as the NorthMark project recently requested state officials to approve the addition of 11 more turbines, which would significantly increase the data center's power consumption. This request is currently under review and has not yet been approved. The committee meeting was scheduled for 5:30 P.M.