Indianapolis City-County councilor to tour data center development in Atlanta

Indianapolis City-County Councilman Michael-Paul Hart is scheduled to tour a DC Blox data center development in Atlanta, Georgia, to better understand the potential impacts of a proposed $2 billion DC Blox facility on Indianapolis' east side. The councilman's trip aims to gather firsthand insights, particularly regarding noise concerns, from residents living near an existing data center. DC Blox is seeking approval to construct a data center on South Kitley Avenue in Indianapolis, adjacent to the Pennsy Trail and near homes and Irvington Elementary School. The Metropolitan Development Commission's hearing examiner is set to hold a meeting on the proposal on June 11 at the City-County Building. Councilman Hart, who previously opposed a Google data center proposal in Franklin Township, emphasizes a case-by-case evaluation for such developments. The proposed DC Blox data center is the latest to generate public opposition. Ben Inskeep, program director at Citizens Action Coalition, a non-profit consumer and environmental advocacy organization, expressed skepticism about information provided by data center companies. The Citizens Action Coalition, along with 27 other public-interest organizations, advocates for a data center moratorium across Indiana until adequate protective policies and regulations are established. Hart clarifies that his trip to Atlanta, extended by DC Blox to two council members, is for comparative research and is not a promotional event, assuring constituents that he will use the information to determine if the project is a good fit for his community.