Parke County Commissioners take action against data centers
The Parke County Commissioners have taken steps to make it difficult for data centers to operate in the county, expressing "no interest" in their presence. They plan to ban data centers dependent on the local electric grid or local water systems for cooling, aiming for facilities with independent systems. An attorney warned that an outright ban is not legally possible.
Parke County Commissioners have enacted measures to severely restrict data center development within the county, sending a clear message that they have "no interest" in such facilities. During a Monday meeting, Commissioners President Jim Meece announced plans to ban data centers that rely on the local power grid or local water systems for cooling. Attorney Nick Sauter advised the Commissioners that an outright ban is not permissible.
However, the new actions would effectively permit only data centers with independent electric systems and closed-loop cooling, making it challenging for most to establish operations in Parke County. The move follows an existing moratorium on solar development and rumors of a proposed data center.