Explaining Birmingham's new data center ordinance
Birmingham, Alabama has enacted a new, strict ordinance for data center development, imposing 20 conditions on future developers. City leaders describe it as the strongest in the Southeast, with city staff even stating it would be easier to build a steel plant. Public concerns were raised about water usage and electricity monitoring, with the ordinance requiring estimates for water use and closed-loop cooling systems.
The city of Birmingham, Alabama, has implemented a new data center ordinance, which city leaders are calling the strongest in the Southeast. The ordinance mandates that future data center developers must meet 20 specific conditions. City staff highlighted the strictness of these new rules, suggesting it would be easier to construct a steel manufacturing plant in the city than a data center.
During presentations, dozens of residents voiced concerns regarding the ordinance, particularly emphasizing water and electricity usage. Speakers advocated for tighter restrictions to better protect people, environments, and city resources. The new ordinance specifically requires developers to provide estimated average daily and annual water use and to utilize closed-loop cooling systems, which the city anticipates will use less water than systems in other major data centers nationally. The public also called for regular, unannounced compulsive audits of these environmental parameters.