Residents voice support for data center moratorium in Beaufort County
Beaufort County residents are strongly advocating for a proposed 12-month moratorium on data center development, citing concerns over noise pollution, emissions, water usage, and electricity costs. The County Commissioners heard these heated remarks and are scheduled to vote on the moratorium on October 5th.
Residents of Beaufort County expressed significant support for a proposed moratorium on data center construction during a recent meeting of the Beaufort County Commissioners. Dave Jordan reported that data centers continue to be a controversial topic, with residents voicing heated remarks.
Maya Geving highlighted that residents are primarily concerned about noise pollution, emissions, and electricity costs from potential data centers. Several residents, including Meredith Loughlin, an art teacher, and Zachary Settewongse, emphasized the desire to preserve the natural soundscape and environment over industrial development. Betsy Hester added that there's "just a drain on resources" and called for a pause to better understand artificial intelligence's capabilities.
The proposed moratorium is defined as a temporary legal pause on building or expanding large computer facilities. While some commissioners, like Randy Walker, suggested focusing on crafting policies that prevent such development entirely rather than just a moratorium, County Manager Tim Corley clarified that state statutes limit moratoriums to a maximum of 12 months. The Beaufort County Commissioners are set to vote on the moratorium on October 5th, although county officials confirmed no companies have yet approached them with data center development proposals.