Posey County Begins Drafting Ordinance to Regulate Data Centers
Posey County is in the early stages of drafting a new data center ordinance, prompting a large public meeting with numerous residents protesting and expressing concerns. The Area Plan Commission is refining the 45-page draft ordinance, addressing environmental impacts, noise, and site remediation, before it moves to the County Commissioners for a decision.
The Posey County Area Plan Commission held a special meeting in Mt. Vernon to review the initial draft of a new data center ordinance, drawing an overflow crowd of residents, many in red shirts protesting the developments. The meeting, held in response to public outcry over county commissioners signing a non-disclosure agreement with a data center developer, focused on refining the 45-page document.
Residents, like Shannon Straw, voiced significant environmental concerns, asserting that impacts outweigh economic benefits. Jake Mitchell highlighted issues with the initial draft's language regarding developers' responsibility for subterranean deconstruction, which the APC subsequently amended to remove depth limits. The commission also redefined "Minor" and "Major" data centers (under or over 100,000 sq ft, respectively), increased noise-testing radii, and strengthened site remediation requirements. John Bates, representing 1,600 union members, spoke on potential job creation but emphasized the need for environmentally friendly development that does not raise utility rates for residents.
Commission Attorney Trent Van Haaften reiterated that the draft is a preliminary step and a work in progress. Once refined by the APC, the ordinance will be forwarded to the Posey County Commissioners for a decision, after which cities like Mt. Vernon, New Harmony, and Poseyville would also need to adopt it. Until a specific ordinance is passed, the county will rely on existing regulations.