Little Rock data center moratorium falls short in 4-4 vote of city Board of Directors
The Little Rock Board of Directors deadlocked in a 4-4 vote, causing an 18-month moratorium proposal on large-scale data center permitting to fail. The measure, aimed at projects like Google's proposed facility, did not secure the six votes required for passage. This decision comes amidst growing concerns over data centers' environmental impact and local regulatory power.
A proposal for an 18-month moratorium on permitting for large-scale data centers, including a planned Google facility, failed to pass the Little Rock Board of Directors. The board's vote resulted in a 4-4 tie, short of the six votes needed for the measure to succeed, as two members were absent.
City Director Kathy Webb sponsored the moratorium, citing concerns over the significant electricity and water consumption of data centers. For instance, the proposed Google facility at the Port of Little Rock is estimated to require 100,000 megawatts of electricity and 1 million gallons of water daily. Blake Tierney, a Little Rock resident, clarified that despite a memorandum of understanding, Google has not yet obtained the necessary permits to begin construction.
City Attorney Tom Carpenter warned that approving a moratorium could expose the city to a lawsuit from Google, potentially requiring the city to pay damages if the company could prove the regulatory action affected its property's use or value. The Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, led by Jay Chesshir, urged the board to focus on facts and existing regulations, referencing positive experiences with Google data centers in other communities.
This vote follows the board's initial approval in April 2023 for an unknown developer, later revealed as Google, to develop a data center at the Port of Little Rock. Separately, Pulaski County's governing body recently rejected a 12-month moratorium on new data centers that would have included an exception for AVAIO Digital Partners' planned $6 billion facility in south Pulaski County.