Fayetteville residents urge city council to ban data centers
Fayetteville residents are pressuring the City Council to halt proposed data center projects, citing concerns about water resources and prioritizing corporations. They advocate for a moratorium and stronger regulations, ahead of an August 10th public hearing on changes to the city's data center ordinance. Neighboring Cumberland County has already enacted a six-month data center moratorium.
Residents of Fayetteville, North Carolina, are intensifying their efforts to convince the Fayetteville City Council to implement a moratorium on data center development. During a recent City Council meeting, several residents voiced concerns that proposed data center projects could strain the city's water resources and prioritize corporate interests over local residents' well-being. They emphasized the need for more robust protections than those currently under consideration.
The Fayetteville City Council is scheduled to hold a public hearing on August 10th to discuss potential amendments to its data center ordinance. These proposed changes aim to formally define data centers and introduce requirements such as noise restrictions, setbacks, and buffers. However, residents like Fern Davis and Destiny Beard argue these safeguards are insufficient, questioning the economic benefits against potential environmental and public health risks.
This local debate unfolds as Cumberland County, which encompasses Fayetteville, has taken a more decisive step. In June, Cumberland County Commissioners approved a six-month moratorium on data center construction, temporarily pausing new projects to allow for the development of comprehensive regulations. Fayetteville's mayor acknowledged that the city itself remains under a 120-day pause, initiated in April, to consider a data center moratorium and new regulations, indicating ongoing deliberation amidst sustained community pressure.