Daviess County judge executive addresses data centers, industrial solar expansion

Daviess County Judge Executive Charlie Castlen issued a statement detailing his stance on AI data center development and industrial solar expansion within the county. Castlen announced that he has already implemented a moratorium on new data center proposals in Daviess County to allow time to establish proper regulations. He emphasized that while the county welcomes investment, any future data center project must meet a strict standard, addressing public concerns over electric rates, noise, and water consumption, and should involve public discussion rather than closed-door negotiations.

Furthermore, Castlen reiterated his strong opposition to the conversion of productive Daviess County farmland into industrial solar farms, noting that he has already put in place setback protections to prevent this. He also raised questions about his political opponent's financial ties to an active solar lease, suggesting a conflict of interest given the opponent's claimed neutrality on industrial solar development and his campaign's self-funding. Castlen asserted that the county's future growth should prioritize the interests of local families and farmers.