Pulaski County passes data center moratorium, but detractors say it’s not enough
Pulaski County has enacted a year-long moratorium on data center development, but controversially exempted a project by AVAIO Digital. This decision has sparked significant opposition from community groups and local political figures, who criticize the special exemption and hint at potential legal challenges. Meanwhile, the county's planning department is developing new land-use regulations for future data center projects.
The Pulaski County Quorum Court recently approved a one-year moratorium on data center permits, but controversially included an exemption for an AVAIO Digital project already in the planning stages. This decision followed a four-hour meeting where the county attorney, a Justice of the Peace, and representatives from the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, Entergy, and Central Arkansas Water advocated for the exemption.
Opponents, including Wendell Griffen, a democratic nominee for Pulaski County judge, criticized the exemption as unconstitutional special legislation that favors AVAIO Digital and invited a lawsuit against the county. Community groups such as Arkansas Grassroots United, the Anthropocene Alliance, and the Little Rock Coalition of Neighborhoods expressed disappointment, arguing that the exemption leaves the county without sufficient protections against the substantial electricity, land, and water usage associated with hyperscale data centers. They also voiced distrust due to the perceived secrecy surrounding AVAIO's project, which has been in the works for two years.
Separately, Google has a data center project planned for the Port of Little Rock, falling under the city's zoning jurisdiction. Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. has pledged to enact stricter land-use regulations for data centers within the city. Discussions around electricity consumption also highlighted concerns, with Entergy maintaining that data centers will cover their infrastructure costs, though ratepayers are already facing increased charges for new power infrastructure due to recent utility-reform laws.