Savannah town hall to tackle data center boom

On Wednesday, a town hall meeting was held at the Otis Johnson Cultural Arts Center in downtown Savannah, Georgia, to address the rapid increase in data center development across the state. The event, organized by Savannah Indivisible, a progressive organization, aimed to inform the public about the environmental impact and resource consumption associated with data centers. Panelists included Georgia Public Service Commission candidates Craig Cupid and Angelia Pressley, and Chatham County Commissioner Aaron "ADOT" Whitely. Cupid emphasized the need for a better plan and public involvement, describing data centers as a "digital city that is sucking up resources." Pressley highlighted the importance of understanding the environmental impact amidst what she called a "gold rush" of technological advancement. Chassidy Malloy noted Georgia ranks eighth nationally for data centers. Commissioner Whitely stressed that residents are "footing that bill" and urged for "meaningful" public involvement in the build-out. During the audience address segment, residents like Mike Rogers, a construction manager, expressed frustration, stating, "Somebody is making a lot of money on the decisions that have already impacted my life." Anthony Baxter, a military psychologist, added that these organizations "do not in return, pay their fair share in taxes nor share dividends to compensate the public for its investment." Concerns were also raised about potential long-term health impacts of living near and working at data centers.