Data center ordinance meeting planned in Warrick County
A public hearing is scheduled in Warrick County, Indiana, concerning a proposed data center ordinance, following a company's interest in developing a data center in the area. Separately, 27 public interest organizations are urging Indiana local governments to enact an immediate moratorium on new data center development, citing concerns over utility affordability, reliability, and environmental sustainability.
A public hearing is scheduled for Monday at 6:00 p.m. in the Boonville Courthouse regarding a proposed data center ordinance in Warrick County, Indiana. This development follows previous interest from an unnamed company in building a data center within the county late last year. Any action taken by the Warrick County Planning Commission after the hearing will serve as a recommendation to the County Commission.
Concurrently, 27 public interest organizations, including the Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana (CAC), are actively urging local governments across Indiana to immediately enact a moratorium on all new data center development, permitting, and construction. This measure, they argue, would provide adequate time for state and local officials to establish comprehensive policies and regulations aimed at protecting Hoosiers from what they describe as the "extremely harmful impacts" of data centers. Ben Inskeep, CAC Program Director, specifically highlighted AI data centers as the "number one threat to utility affordability, reliability and environmental sustainability in Indiana." The organizations advocate for elected officials to prioritize constituent protection by ensuring robust rules are in place.