Lawmakers’ ‘listening session’ attracts data center opponents
More than 60 residents attended a Kentucky Capitol listening session organized by Rep. Adam Moore and voiced concerns about hyperscale data centers. Speakers called for stronger ratepayer protections, environmental and infrastructure studies, greater government transparency, repeal of tax incentives, and in some cases a statewide moratorium or ban on new projects.
More than 60 Kentuckians attended a state Capitol listening session organized by Rep. Adam Moore, D-Lexington, with nearly all speakers opposing or expressing concerns about hyperscale data center development. Residents cited farmland and historic-site loss, water demands, utility costs, insufficient transparency in local approvals, and tax incentives for developers. Diane Floyd of We Are Mercer County urged lawmakers to require independent environmental and infrastructure studies, protect ratepayers, and strengthen ethics and disclosure rules.
Several speakers supported an outright ban or temporary statewide moratorium, while others sought to repeal sales tax breaks enacted through House Bill 775 in 2025. Kentucky Power customer Suzanne Griffith said data centers should pay for the generation capacity they require rather than shifting costs to other customers. Rep. Vanessa Grossl, R-Georgetown, said she regretted supporting the tax-break legislation and suggested it could be revisited, while Moore said he favored legislation addressing ratepayer, environmental and transparency concerns and would oppose new hyperscale projects until those issues were resolved.