Arkansas Advocate: More Arkansas communities putting data centers on hold
Multiple Arkansas communities are enacting moratoriums or additional restrictions on data center development, with Madison County and others passing pauses, and Fayetteville adopting stricter construction rules. A statewide moratorium has also been proposed by Sen. Fred Love. Meanwhile, a data center developer, Bentaus, has secured land for a project in Miller County.
An increasing number of communities across Arkansas are taking action to halt or restrict data center projects. Madison County recently enacted a three-year moratorium on data center development, joining at least four other counties in the state, including Independence County which has an even longer pause. This comes as similar measures in Pulaski County have faced challenges despite local opposition to existing projects.
Fayetteville's city council has also approved additional regulations for data center construction, expanding on earlier rules. These new requirements mandate developers to submit more documentation, adhere to city wastewater treatment standards, and primarily use battery storage instead of generators for backup power. Any expansion of an existing data center would necessitate an amendment to its city permit.
At the state level, Democratic Sen. Fred Love of Little Rock proposed a non-binding resolution to the Arkansas Legislative Council, encouraging a statewide moratorium on data center development until standards are established. The resolution has been referred to legislative committees for recommendation. This push for moratoriums reflects a bipartisan concern over data centers, with all five counties that have imposed moratoriums currently having a Republican majority in their quorum courts. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, however, has not taken steps to curb data center projects, emphasizing protection of clean water and advocating for 'common sense solutions to lower costs'.
Amidst these regulatory developments, Dallas-based data center developer Bentaus has reportedly acquired over 2,700 acres of land in Miller County for a new project, an announcement that has largely remained out of the public spotlight.