ERA proposed for potential data center at JPG

A resolution to establish an Economic Revitalization Area (ERA) near the former Jefferson Proving Ground (JPG) was introduced at a recent Jefferson County Council meeting in Indiana, setting the stage for a potential data center development. A public hearing on the ERA is scheduled for May 12, with a final decision to follow. This resolution comes amidst an application to the Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Office for a data center at the JPG site. Although the property is zoned industrial, and the development plan received administrative approval, area residents have appealed this decision. County Surveyor Mike Pittman confirmed an error in the application requiring correction, but the appeal is moving forward, with a special meeting of the Jefferson County Board of Zoning Appeals tentatively set for May 20. Community members and council officials voiced significant concerns about the proposed data center. Elijah Chandler, a resident of Madison, questioned the projected 300 full-time jobs, suggesting a data center could be run with far fewer employees. He also raised detailed inquiries about the facility's monthly kilowatt-hour draw, reliance on renewable energy, potential utility rate hikes, and water usage, specifically addressing the challenges of calcium in local water with a closed-loop cooling system. Mary Hanson, another Madison resident, urged the council to research past data center harms and consider the potential for "massive irreparable damage" to the community. Council member Heather Foy highlighted the council's own questions regarding water, noise pollution, and other impacts. However, Greg Sanders of Hanover expressed trust in the involved Ford family, who have deep roots in Jefferson County, believing they would not harm the county. He also referenced the planned closed-loop cooling system and state mandates for future data centers to be self-generating for electricity. Lindsay Bloos, former executive director of the Madison Area Chamber of Commerce, now a senior consultant, acknowledged Jefferson County's attractiveness for business but echoed environmental and energy concerns, emphasizing the need for comprehensive monitoring and accountability. She also questioned the long-term impacts of AI, which data centers support.