'Far from approved': State slams Fort Meade data center plan

The Fort Meade City Commission recently gave unanimous approval to a development agreement for a controversial 4.4 million-square-foot hyperscale data center campus, despite hours of public opposition. This decision by city leaders, including Mayor Jaret Landon Williams, was made even though the agreement is contingent on the developer securing multiple state and regional permits. However, just days after the city's vote, Florida Commerce Secretary J. Alex Kelly sent a strong letter to Mayor Williams, cautioning that the proposed project is far from ready to proceed. Secretary Kelly highlighted significant risks to Central Florida’s energy capacity, water resources, and transportation infrastructure, stating that critical information necessary for informed permitting decisions has not been provided. He specifically noted that the developer's estimated water usage of 50,000 gallons of potable water per day appears