County board answers data center questions

Vicksburg resident Lily Pierson, expressing concerns about the health and environmental impacts of data centers, questioned the Warren County Board of Supervisors regarding a new Amazon Web Services (AWS) facility at a recent meeting. Pierson, who had previously hosted public discussion forums on the topic, sought to understand the regulatory processes and the board's role. Dr. Kelle Barfield, president of the board, explained that the county's involvement in the data center's development is limited, primarily requiring a development permit for construction and triggering a flood zone determination. She clarified that Warren County lacks zoning regulations outside city limits and that most environmental permitting, such as for stormwater or wastewater, falls under state agencies like the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) or federal bodies like the Corps of Engineers. Pierson raised specific concerns about heat waste, noise, exhaust, and potential energy rate increases due to the facility's extensive power demands. Barfield stated that mitigating these impacts during operation is a matter for Amazon officials, and electricity rate regulation falls exclusively under the Mississippi Public Service Commission. Regarding water usage and potential noise impacts, Barfield noted the county's lack of jurisdiction over water management and mentioned Amazon's ongoing acoustic engineering studies. The board also discussed a fee-in-lieu of taxes agreement with Amazon, which includes a commitment of at least $2.5 billion in financial investment and 100 direct jobs. Supervisors William H. Banks Jr., Edward Herring, and Shawn Jackson addressed resident concerns, with Herring mentioning a visit to Virginia to observe operational data centers and their community impacts. Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) signed by some supervisors during early discussions were also clarified as effectively moot.