Palm Beach County Data Center Project Faces Opposition, Zoning Denial Recommendation
A proposed AI data center, Project Tango, in Palm Beach County, Florida, is facing significant local opposition over concerns about water usage, environmental impact, and proximity to an elementary school. The county's zoning commission has unanimously recommended denying the project, with a final vote by county commissioners pending. Developers maintain the project will bring substantial tax revenue and jobs.
Residents of Palm Beach County, Florida, are fiercely opposing Project Tango, a proposed 3.5 million square foot artificial intelligence data center near the community of Arden, approximately 20 miles from Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. The project has drawn heavy criticism despite claims by its developer, PBA Holdings, that it will generate over $561 million in annual tax revenue and create 500 permanent jobs.
Concerns raised by the community group, Stop Project Tango, and other residents include the project's proximity to an elementary school, its estimated daily consumption of 5,000 gallons of potable water, and potential contamination risks to private wells and local canals. A petition against the development has garnered over 8,400 signatures, and residents, donning "NO to Project Tango" shirts, packed a recent county commission meeting awaiting a key vote on the plan.
In early July, the county's zoning commission unanimously recommended denying the project, aligning with public opposition despite professional staff recommending approval. Project Tango manager Ernie Cox told Bloomberg that developers have made design adjustments, including scaling back facilities and relocating cooling equipment indoors, to mitigate impacts. A site selection expert, John Boyd, highlighted the project's economic benefits and access to power from a nearby Florida Power and Light gas plant.
The local opposition mirrors a broader trend across Florida and the nation, where data center developments face increasing scrutiny. The article notes that at least 10 Florida localities have enacted data center moratoria, and Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law preventing large data centers from passing utility costs onto consumers. This local sentiment contrasts with former President Trump's administration, which encouraged data center construction and aimed to block local regulations.