Jefferson & VanBuren County News: Data Center Ordinance & $10.1 Million School Expansion Plan
Jefferson County residents are urging supervisors to strengthen a proposed data center ordinance by lowering its megawatt threshold, enhancing regulations for cryptocurrency mining, restoring setback requirements, and extending a proposed moratorium. Concerns include water usage, electricity demand, groundwater, and noise pollution. Supervisors plan to revise the draft before scheduling public hearings.
Jefferson County residents are actively pressing county supervisors to fortify a proposed data center ordinance. During a recent Board of Supervisors meeting, several community members advocated for reducing the ordinance's 20-megawatt threshold, citing potential impacts on water usage, electricity demand, and adjacent properties, even from smaller data centers.
Further demands included more stringent language to regulate cryptocurrency mining, reinstatement of setback requirements that were omitted from the current draft, and an extension of a proposed data center moratorium from 18 to 24 months. Residents also voiced concerns regarding groundwater contamination and noise pollution, urging supervisors to schedule future public hearings during evening hours to facilitate broader community participation.
The supervisors did not take any formal action at the meeting, but affirmed their commitment to further revise the draft ordinance. Public hearings are expected to be scheduled once revisions are complete. Additional details are available on atumoradio.com.