Why I oppose the proposed data center in Lowndes County
Congresswoman Terri Sewell explains her opposition to a proposed $1.5 billion AI data center in Lowndes County, Alabama, citing significant concerns about water risks, environmental injustice, and the strain on existing, fragile infrastructure. Residents have voiced their concerns at public meetings and through petitions, highlighting unanswered questions from the project's proponents. Sewell has also proposed the AI Data Center Moratorium Act in Congress to pause such developments until comprehensive safeguards are established.
Congresswoman Terri Sewell has voiced strong opposition to a proposed $1.5 billion AI data center in Lowndes County, Alabama, aligning with local residents' concerns about its potential impact. She highlighted the county's history of underinvestment, infrastructure challenges, and environmental injustice, arguing that the project demands greater scrutiny.
Sewell emphasized water as the most immediate concern, fearing that a massive data center could further strain the county's already fragile water infrastructure, which has historically struggled with wastewater management. She called for independent analysis of the project's water demands, its impact on groundwater, and its effect on existing infrastructure, referencing issues at Meta's data center in nearby Hope Hull and contaminated water reports in Newton County, Georgia, following data center construction.
Further, Sewell noted the racial and economic dimensions, stating that Lowndes County, a majority-Black and historically underserved community, should not bear disproportionate environmental and economic risks. She questioned the choice of an unincorporated area, suggesting it might be due to fewer layers of oversight. In response to these concerns, Congresswoman Sewell recently proposed the AI Data Center Moratorium Act, aiming to temporarily pause data center construction and expansion nationwide until Congress can establish comprehensive safeguards for environmental, economic, labor, privacy, and community impacts. She reiterated her support for innovation and economic development but insisted on transparency, accountability, and strong protections for communities like Lowndes County.