Clinton City Officials to Revise Data Center Rules After Public Opposition
The Clinton City Planning Commission is revising a proposed ordinance to regulate future data centers after significant public opposition. Residents raised concerns about setback requirements and environmental impacts, while labor unions worried about industry targeting. The updated rules will be debated at a future Planning Commission meeting before potentially going to the City Council.
The Clinton City Planning Commission held a special meeting to discuss a proposed ordinance intended to establish rules for future data centers in the city, which currently lacks specific regulations. The draft ordinance, being developed as QTS eyes Clinton for a large project, sparked significant public opposition.
Dozens of citizens attended the meeting to voice concerns, particularly regarding environmental provisions like closed-loop systems and the handling of chemicals, as well as proposed setback requirements. Many advocated for strengthening permissive language to mandatory and increasing the recommended setback from 1,000 to 1,500 or 2,000 feet. Conversely, local labor unions expressed worries that the ordinance's stringent requirements might unfairly target the AI industry.
Following the public input, city employees will make changes to the proposed rules. The City's attorney acknowledged that while the ordinance won't prohibit data centers, it will make it difficult for them to establish in Clinton. The revised ordinance must pass the Planning Commission before proceeding to the Clinton City Council and is slated for further debate at next month's Planning Commission meeting.
The report also briefly noted a proposed rule by the Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to end public feedback requirements, which the Sierra Club asserts would diminish transparency and benefit large technology companies.