Harris County resident calls for data center moratorium
A Harris County, Georgia resident has requested a one-year moratorium on new hyperscale data centers from county commissioners, citing the need for impact studies. The resident, Jacqueline Moyer, has garnered nearly 150 signatures on a petition. Commissioners heard the request but took no action.
Jacqueline Moyer, an Upatoi resident and founder of "Keep It Rural Harris County," has formally requested that Harris County commissioners enact a one-year moratorium on the approval of new hyperscale data centers. Speaking at a county commission meeting, Moyer argued that such a pause is necessary to allow the county to conduct a comprehensive study on the significant long-term impacts of these industrial developments and to facilitate a transparent public review process. She noted that her petition supporting the moratorium has collected nearly 150 signatures within a week.
Moyer pointed to other Georgia counties that have already implemented short-term bans on data center construction to develop new governing regulations. Her request comes as the Harris County commissioners are engaged in updating the county's comprehensive plan, specifically revising its future land use language—the first major update since 2024.
Despite Moyer's presentation and the petition, the commissioners did not respond to her comments nor did they take any immediate action on the proposed one-year moratorium.