Florida's commerce secretary comes out against a proposed AI data center

Florida Commerce Secretary Alex Kelly has publicly opposed a proposed AI data center in rural Polk County, Florida, calling the project "fundamentally flawed" due to significant risks to the state's water supply, energy capacity, and transportation infrastructure. In a sharply worded letter sent Friday to the Fort Meade City Commission, Kelly criticized the commission's unanimous approval of the data center last week, which occurred despite protests from local residents. Kelly's stance aligns with Governor Ron DeSantis's broader concerns regarding artificial intelligence developments. The proposed data center, identified as "Project Stonebridge," is planned for approximately 1,300 acres and would be Florida's first AI data center. Kelly highlighted that the developer, Stonebridge, has "woefully underestimated" the project's water demand. Initially, Stonebridge stated a need for 140,000 gallons per day, which was later reduced to 50,000 gallons per day for daily operations, a figure Kelly still deems insufficient for a 4.4 million square foot facility. The Commerce Secretary stressed the need for transparency regarding natural resource commitments, particularly water and energy, to preserve the community's quality of life. The project still requires crucial permits from the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFMD), which previously noted that the projected water demand was not adequately included in the city's submission and must be approved at a future public meeting. An operator for the data center has not yet been disclosed.