Moratorium talk moves to Mississippi as Southaven residents sound data center alarm
Southaven residents raised concerns about data center noise, air quality, property values and rising electricity costs at a roundtable with U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse and Senate candidate Scott Colom. Colom called for a temporary moratorium on future data centers, while a lawsuit filed by the NAACP against SpaceX was allowed to continue over alleged Clean Air Act violations.
Residents in Southaven, Mississippi, told political leaders they are experiencing persistent noise and air-quality concerns as data center development expands in the region. They also questioned the effect on property values and electricity bills, arguing that companies should bear the costs of the infrastructure and energy they require. Mississippi has approved pauses on data center development in South Jackson and Clinton, while another data center site was approved in the area in September.
U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse attended the roundtable with Scott Colom, a district attorney and Democratic Senate candidate challenging Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. Colom called for a temporary moratorium on future data centers and greater transparency, while Hyde-Smith’s campaign said she supports safeguards requiring facilities to cover their energy costs. The report also said a judge allowed the NAACP’s lawsuit against SpaceX to proceed; the suit alleges violations of the Clean Air Act connected to the company’s Mississippi operations.