Letter to the Editor: Lowndesboro mayor opposes data center

Mayor Ed McCurdy and the Town Council of Lowndesboro, Alabama, have formally expressed strong opposition to an 800-acre data center proposed for Burkville, located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 80 and Alabama Highway 21. The proposed development is currently undergoing a public hearing process, and the town is urging the Lowndes County Commission to deny its approval.

The opposition cites fundamental inconsistencies between the industrial-scale data center and Lowndesboro's historic, agrarian, and pastoral character, which is preserved on the National Register of Historic Places. Concerns include extensive lighting, mechanical infrastructure, security fencing, heavy utility construction, and large-scale electrical transmission facilities. Opponents also highlight significant environmental impacts, such as enormous water consumption, constant noise, increased air temperatures, extensive nighttime lighting, and heavy truck traffic on rural roads.

Furthermore, the proposed site's proximity to the Robert Gardner Farm Campsite, a crucial stop on the Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March, is a major concern. The town argues that the data center would permanently alter the historic viewshed and rural character of the federally recognized Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail. The development is also seen as a threat to the Burkville community's annual Okra Festival and the region's agricultural economy, impacting local landowners, farming operations, and wildlife recreation.