Effingham County Sued Over Zoning Process for OpenAI Data Center

Three Effingham County residents, Dr. Michelle Finch-Mincey, Lehman Mincey Jr., and Raymond Carver, have filed a lawsuit against Effingham County in Superior Court. The complaint challenges the county's zoning process as plans for OpenAI's Project Camellia, a proposed $20 billion data center campus, move forward. The plaintiffs are seeking declaratory and injunctive relief, alleging that county officials failed to follow proper procedures when amending zoning rules, acted with conflicts of interest, and held private meetings, though they clarify they are not inherently opposed to artificial intelligence data centers.

OpenAI's Project Camellia at the Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub is slated to cover over 1,400 acres, require an estimated 3,200 megawatts of electricity, and begin construction in 2028. County leaders have promoted the project as a significant economic investment, promising 400 permanent jobs initially and over 1,000 upon completion, along with substantial tax revenue. However, some residents have voiced concerns regarding transparency, water usage, electricity demand, traffic, and the project's proximity to residential areas and a school. OpenAI has committed to covering electrical infrastructure costs and utilizing closed-loop cooling to minimize water consumption, as well as providing $80 million in community benefits.

Effingham County Commissioner Phil Kieffer previously noted that commissioners had not voted on the project because the property was already zoned for industrial uses. The development still requires local review, including site-plan approval, which may now be affected by the court challenge. State utility regulators have approved the electricity contract between OpenAI and Georgia Power, but this does not constitute full development approval.