Data center project pulls out of Pacific, Missouri
Residents in Pacific, Missouri, achieved a significant victory as the city announced that Beltline Energy's proposed data center project would not move forward. However, the developer still has a separate rezoning request pending with Franklin County, meaning the larger fight is not entirely over. The city cited concerns related to its wastewater system, which data centers require a substantial amount of.
Residents of Pacific, Missouri, are celebrating a significant win in their fight against a proposed $16 billion, 500-acre data center project by Beltline Energy. Pacific Mayor Debbie Kelly issued a press release stating that the project, planned for the Crooked Creek Beef site off Highway 0 near the Merrimack River, will not proceed. Residents had expressed concerns about environmental impacts and property values, with one resident, Allison Quino, noting that while the community is not against development, they seek growth with "guardrails."
Quino explained that initial promises of $50 million annually were appealing, but further investigation led residents to question the project's suitability for the land. Previously, Pacific had enacted a 12-month moratorium on new data center applications and rezoning requests. This move came after months of vocal opposition from the community.
However, the battle is not entirely over, as Beltline Energy still has a separate rezoning request pending with Franklin County Commissioners, making it an ongoing "county fight." Quino hopes that the community, where "decades, some century-long friendships" were fractured by the dispute, can now begin to heal. Mayor Kelly indicated that Beltline Energy did not specify their reasons for withdrawal but sent emails concerning the city's wastewater system, highlighting the substantial water requirements of data centers. KSDK News has reached out to the Atlanta-based developer for further clarification.