Swain County joins the list of WNC communities considering a temporary ban on data centers

Swain County Commissioners held a public hearing on a proposed moratorium on data centers, attracting one of the largest turnouts they've ever seen. Residents from Swain County and the Qualla Boundary spoke for over two hours, voicing strong opposition to the development of data centers in the area. The debate highlighted concerns about the intensive water and energy usage of 'hyperscale' data centers, particularly given advancements in AI and cloud computing. Speakers also drew parallels between data center development and the region's history of eminent domain, removal of the Cherokee people, and environmental extraction from logging, fracking, and mining. Celia Baker, a long-time resident and data security professional, argued that data center developers exploit rural counties with low tax burdens and natural resources. Fred Crawford, a land surveyor from Whittier, supported a moratorium, emphasizing the need for robust ordinance language and suggesting the county learn from other Western North Carolina communities that have recently passed similar bans, including Canton, Clay County, Brevard, and Boone. While only one unnamed speaker expressed caution about a ban, Swain County Commission Vice Chair Tanner Lawson indicated he aligns with the majority public opinion against data centers, stating he sees no benefit. The county was prompted to consider the moratorium after receiving an email inquiry from a large tech company, Paces Technologies, regarding zoning regulations. The commissioners are scheduled to vote on the moratorium at their regular meeting on April 21st, which, if passed, would allow 12 months to develop permanent ordinance language.