Orangeburg County enacts moratorium on new data centers amid public debate
Orangeburg County Council has enacted a moratorium on new data center applications following a public hearing. While residents expressed opposition, a developer argued for an exception, citing his project's minimal resource needs. The council aims to use this pause to establish responsible protections and study future development.
The Orangeburg County Council has enacted a moratorium on new data center development, following a public hearing that highlighted divided opinions among residents and developers. The moratorium, which passed its third reading, will halt the acceptance and action on any new applications for data centers or other data processing facilities within the county.
Residents voiced strong opposition during the hearing, reiterating their stance from previous meetings against data center development. However, Blake Simpson, a developer of a proposed data center, urged the council to either reject the moratorium or create an exception for projects like his. Simpson described his project as a 25 to 50 megawatt facility that would utilize existing power infrastructure, require minimal water and public infrastructure, and use "latest and greatest technology" that consumes less water than a McDonald's daily. He also pledged to pay full taxes, hire local workers, and invest in local colleges and downtown Orangeburg.
Council member Leticia Walker emphasized the moratorium's importance in allowing the county to ask difficult questions, establish responsible protections, and ensure development benefits the local population. County Administrator Harold Young clarified that the moratorium is not anti-development but rather a "pause" to study data centers and determine appropriate rules and regulations for future projects.