Beaufort County Considers Data Center Moratorium Amid Environmental and Development Concerns
Beaufort County commissioners are considering a yearlong moratorium on data center development applications due to resident and commissioner concerns over water and energy use, farmland impact, and the need for incentives. This proposed pause would allow the county to study and develop potential regulations for the industry. Nearby Farmville, within Pitt County, has already approved a 12-month moratorium.
Beaufort County, North Carolina, is weighing a proposal for a yearlong moratorium on new data center development applications. The county's commissioners are discussing the potential pause to allow time to study and implement regulations for the industry, driven by rising concerns among residents and officials.
Key issues highlighted include the significant water and energy consumption of data centers, their potential impact on local farmland, and the need for substantial incentives to attract such developments. One resident voiced a desire to maintain the county's rural character, stating, "We don’t need no big data center. This is dumb." Commissioner Randy Walker questioned the economic benefit, suggesting developers often seek extensive incentives like "free land, free energy, free water," and proposed a "crematorium" approach to kill the idea altogether rather than just a moratorium.
The discussion extends beyond Beaufort County, with community members in neighboring Pitt County also advocating for a data center moratorium, citing concerns about resource allocation for "real people" versus "world-ending super intelligence" and the rapid obsolescence of data center servers. Although Pitt County currently lacks a formal moratorium, the town of Farmville, located within Pitt County, approved its own 12-month moratorium last month, setting a precedent for similar actions in the region.