Prichard residents voice strong opposition to proposed data center at public hearing - NBC 15
Residents in Prichard, Alabama, packed a city council meeting to voice strong opposition to a proposed data center, despite the council having recently enacted a 180-day moratorium on the project. The moratorium grants the city time to develop new rules and ordinances, but residents want the project stopped entirely.
Residents of Prichard, Alabama, filled the city council chambers to unequivocally express their disapproval of a proposed data center. They urged city leaders to halt the project, emphasizing that the community's concerns should be paramount.
During a public hearing, citizens voiced worries about the data center's potential impact on their neighborhoods and the future of Prichard. Although the City Council recently voted to implement a 180-day moratorium on the project, council attorney Moshae Donald-Walker clarified that this does not signify the project is definitively canceled. Donald-Walker explained that the moratorium allows the city time to develop relevant rules and ordinances, working with professionals such as engineers, architects, and the planning commission. These regulations would address various aspects including setbacks, structure visibility, noise, light pollution, and vibrations.
However, residents who spoke at the hearing conveyed their impatience with waiting for new regulations, preferring that city leaders terminate the project altogether. The proposed data center has been a significant point of contention in Prichard for weeks, with community members consistently raising questions and concerns about its potential effects.