Caddo commissioner wants moratorium, deeper look at data center impacts

Caddo Parish Commissioner John-Paul Young is proposing a two-year moratorium on new data center developments and expansions in unincorporated Caddo Parish, Louisiana. The resolution, scheduled for introduction at an upcoming work session, also calls for the formation of a data center study committee. This committee would consist of citizens who would discuss concerns and recommend siting standards and other regulations to the Caddo Parish Commission within 18 months, with a required vote on the findings within 60 days of the report.

Commissioner Young's proposal stems from concerns regarding the potential negative impacts of data centers on water, wastewater, the electric grid, land use, and parish finances. He highlighted that previous measures he supported, such as requiring environmental studies and regulating temporary workforce housing for the Stateline Road data center near Blanchard, had failed. Young also questioned the continued use of tax incentives to attract data center developers, noting that an existing tax agreement tied to Amazon's planned data center development was approved quickly with limited public input. He believes that companies should pay standard property taxes and that the parish does not need to offer incentives.

Young stated that the moratorium reflects public sentiment and a desire for organized, thorough discussion about these large projects. He, along with Commissioners Ken Epperson and Chris Kracman, supports the proposal, which aims to mitigate risks while preserving the existing tax agreement for the Amazon data center. The resolution requires seven votes from the 12 commissioners to pass.