Fairfield County is closer to banning data center development
Fairfield County Council approved a resolution banning data center development on county-owned property and is preparing a 12-month moratorium on data centers in the county. These actions are temporary and aim to allow for further research and community engagement before permanent decisions are made. Public hearings are scheduled for late August and mid-September.
The Fairfield County Council in South Carolina has taken initial steps to restrict data center development within its jurisdiction. During a recent meeting, the council approved a resolution that prohibits data center construction on any county-owned property. Additionally, the council is in the process of preparing a 12-month moratorium on all new data center developments throughout Fairfield County.
These measures are temporary, designed to provide the county with a year to conduct further research and engage with the community to better understand the potential impacts of data centers. While the resolution prevents the sale of county-owned land for such projects, the proposed moratorium, if passed, would only pause development for a year, not permanently ban it.
Fairfield County Administration and the County Council released a statement emphasizing their commitment to thorough evaluation. Citizens will have opportunities to participate in the process, including a public hearing for the ordinance on August 31 and a third and final reading for the moratorium on September 14.