Chatham County residents to call for statewide pause on data centers
Chatham County residents and the Haw River Assembly are calling for a two-year statewide moratorium on new data center development in North Carolina, citing water use and potential river contamination. The effort follows a court ruling favoring Eco TIP West, which plans a 750-megawatt data center near Moncure despite Chatham County's local moratorium.
Residents of Chatham County and the Haw River Assembly are organizing a press conference in Pittsboro to urge North Carolina officials to impose a two-year statewide pause on new data center development. Organizers cite concerns about intensive water consumption and possible contamination of rivers, amid growing opposition to large facilities supporting artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Chatham County has a local moratorium lasting through February 2027, but Eco TIP West's planned 750-megawatt facility at Triangle Innovation Point West near Moncure remains active. The developer sued the county, arguing that its project was already underway when commissioners approved the moratorium, and Superior Court Judge John Morris ruled for the developer in September. County Manager Bryan Thompson said the county continues to develop regulations intended to protect residents and the environment.