Effingham County Tables OpenAI Project Camellia Data Center Plan
The Effingham County Board of Commissioners tabled a vote on OpenAI’s proposed Project Camellia data center site plan until Nov. 17 after commissioners raised questions about noise berms, safety, water and sewer service, wetlands and backup generators. Residents and opposition organizers welcomed the delay, while county officials said they would also discuss a possible data center moratorium.
The Effingham County Board of Commissioners in Springfield, Georgia, unanimously postponed consideration of OpenAI’s Project Camellia site plan until Nov. 17. Commissioner Roger Burdette requested the delay after questioning whether the proposal included a firm commitment to build a 20-foot berm along Hodgeville Road and seeking additional assurances about noise protections and safety. The proposed 1,347-acre campus at the Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub would include six data center buildings, substations, cooling infrastructure and related facilities.
Commissioners also raised questions about water and sewer service, wetlands and generators. Residents filled the meeting room, and members of the Protect Effingham Alliance organized opposition to the project. The county said it would discuss a possible data center moratorium at its next meeting, while resident Jerri Howell said a petition seeking tighter data center rules and a ban in county zoning districts had collected more than 1,500 signatures. The board separately approved the county zoning ordinance and official zoning map.