Colleton County residents raise concerns over proposed data center, power plant projects
Colleton County residents are voicing significant concerns over a proposed data center near the ACE Basin and a power plant project near the Edisto River. Public meetings were held to address environmental and economic impacts, with residents expressing worries about pollution and the preservation of natural areas. While county leaders previously approved zoning changes for data centers, opposition to these specific projects remains active.
Residents of Colleton County, South Carolina, are expressing strong opposition to two major proposed projects: a data center near the ACE Basin and a power plant connected to a pipeline near the Edisto River. Public presentations were held where officials and project representatives, including Ken Lober of Eagle Rock Partners for the data center, addressed community questions regarding potential environmental and economic impacts.
The proposed data center, according to Eagle Rock Partners, would consume a similar amount of water to a car wash and inject an estimated $6 billion into the county while creating hundreds of high-paying jobs. Brantley Strickland, executive director of the Colleton County Economic Alliance, highlighted the potential for long-term benefits such as reduced property taxes. However, residents, including Juliana Tuihri from North Charleston, voiced concerns over air and water pollution, fearing broader impacts beyond Colleton County, especially on the critical ACE Basin.
Separately, S.C. Environmental Services hosted a public hearing on plans for the power plant. Christopher Stout, bureau chief for the S.C. Coastal Management DES, indicated that an initial land service permit would cover early site preparations, with further development expected. Despite officials stating there is no connection between the data center and the power plant, residents remain troubled by the prospect of either project advancing, questioning the long-term cost to the environment. Representatives for the data center aim for construction completion by 2030, while no exact start date for the power plant has been set. The article also references previous zoning changes approved by Colleton County leaders to allow data centers farther north, and ongoing skepticism.