S.C. House candidate Jason Payne supports indefinite data center moratorium
S.C. House District 83 candidate Jason Payne supports an indefinite moratorium on new data center construction in South Carolina. He says development should pause until the state completes research on economic and environmental impacts and establishes cybersecurity, physical security and community-benefit benchmarks.
Jason Payne, a Democratic candidate for South Carolina House District 83, identified workforce shortages and population aging as major challenges for the district, which includes North Augusta and Edgefield County. He advocated faster interstate licensing for health care providers and stronger infrastructure planning to help local governments manage growth.
Asked about data center construction, Payne said South Carolina should continue investing in facilities needed for artificial intelligence, manufacturing and critical infrastructure, but only under a state policy framework that protects communities. He supports an indefinite moratorium on new data centers until economic and environmental research, cybersecurity standards and physical security compliance benchmarks are established, and said technology companies should subsidize the communities where they build.