Concerns over NDA for Bessemer data center project
Environmental groups are raising transparency concerns over a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) signed by Bessemer city leaders regarding "Project Marvel," a proposed data center. Groups like the Alabama Rivers Alliance and the Southern Environmental Law Center are demanding access to public records related to the project's environmental impact and the NDA, leading them to consider litigation for non-compliance with Open Records Act.
Environmental groups are expressing serious concerns regarding transparency surrounding "Project Marvel," a proposed large-scale data center development in Bessemer, Alabama. This comes after Bessemer Mayor Kenneth Gulley, the city attorney, and the mayor’s chief of staff signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) related to the project.
The project is described as massive and controversial, with a potential economic impact of $75 million a year for 20 years, facilitated by the Birmingham Business Alliance. However, groups like the Alabama Rivers Alliance and the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) are demanding answers, particularly regarding the project's environmental impact and the details of the NDA. Ryan Anderson, with the SELC, stated that the city's failure to respond to an open records request about the environmental impact and the NDA during the rezoning process forced them to consider litigation. The SELC sent a demand letter to the city, asserting that the NDA is a public record under the Open Records Act and that public transparency laws should not require the threat of legal action for compliance.