Lowndes County debates data center project

The Lowndes County Commission convened on April 28 to address a proposed data center project in Burkville, Alabama, attracting a standing-room-only crowd of both opponents and supporters. District Judge Adrian Johnson and Burkville resident Barbara Evans expressed strong opposition, with Judge Johnson noting the proposed hyper-scale facility would be located just 900 yards from his property, potentially affecting 251 homes. Jeff Berry, with over 30 years of experience in data center operations, accused the developer, Cloverleaf Infrastructure, of making false claims about economic benefits and downplaying negative impacts. Berry warned of increased electricity rates due to the facility's "absurd amount of electricity" consumption, significant "acoustic roar and magnetic frequency emissions" impacting surrounding land for miles, and the unlikelihood of local hires. Generational farmer Bradfield Evans and farm operator Chequita Surles voiced concerns about the data center irreparably destroying community fabric and negatively impacting crops and cattle. Conversely, Thomas Ellis, volunteer chairman of the Lowndes County Economic Development Board, Gordonville Mayor Orbuty Ozier, and local pastor Martin McCall advocated for the project. Ellis detailed substantial economic benefits, including 1,000 construction jobs, $20 million in school taxes over three years, $27 million for county operations, and a potential $87 million increase in property tax value over two decades. He also highlighted Cloverleaf Infrastructure's commitment of $10 million for local grants. Mayor Ozier and McCall emphasized the need for economic growth in the declining county. While Commissioner Dickson Farrior expressed opposition, most commissioners stated they were still considering all impacts before making a final decision.