Concern grows for rural community members as development of a data center in Noble County progresses
Residents in Morrison, Oklahoma, and surrounding Noble and Pawnee counties are expressing significant concerns over the environmental, electricity, and water impacts of a proposed large-scale AI data center campus by Comstock Holdings and Jericho Energy Ventures. An interim study on data center impacts on water and power has been ordered in Oklahoma, and residents are demanding transparency from county officials before any zoning or land-use decisions are made.
Talk of a new AI data center campus, developed by Comstock Holdings Companies Inc. and Jericho Energy Ventures Inc., is sparking concern among residents in Morrison, Oklahoma, and the broader Noble and Pawnee counties. The Black Bear data center campus, announced in June, is planned for large-scale development, with phase one encompassing 400 acres and potential expansion to 10,000 acres across both counties. Residents like Adam Ingram, a former Noble County resident, and Sarah Mautino, a long-time Pawnee County resident, are primarily worried about the unknown environmental impacts, including noise, light, and air pollution, wildlife disruption, and the loss of agricultural land.
Water resources are a major concern, with Mautino emphasizing the preciousness of water in rural Oklahoma and demanding to know the data center's water source, consumption, and potential impact on local wells, farms, and creeks. Electricity usage is also a significant point of contention; the facility is projected to start with a 20 MW capacity but could reach 2,646 MW by 2032, making it potentially the highest power-consuming campus in Oklahoma. Jericho plans for a 345 kV transmission and on-site natural gas generation, but the specifics of grid reliance versus on-site power remain unclear.
Residents are urging local and state leaders to slow down development until more long-term effects of data centers are understood. An interim study on data center expansion's impact on Oklahoma's water resources and power grid has already been ordered by Rep. Amanda Clinton of Tulsa. An email to Noble and Pawnee County commissioners offices requested full transparency on the Black Bear Campus Data Center, urging the boards to ensure a complete accounting of the project and outstanding approvals before any zoning, land-use, or other discretionary actions are taken. Although land purchases haven't been publicly recorded by the county clerks, Jericho has secured over 6,000 acres through at least 20 lease agreements in North Central Oklahoma.