Why four Florida hyperscale data centers are running into opposition

Florida is seeing numerous proposals for large-scale hyperscale data centers, adding to over 100 smaller facilities already in the state. These new projects are encountering significant opposition from residents and some state officials, primarily over concerns about their substantial energy and water consumption, as well as potential noise and light pollution. Governor Ron DeSantis has introduced legislation to regulate AI data centers, which includes provisions to ban them within five miles of schools or residential areas and to prevent utility costs from being passed on to residents. His proposed AI “Bill of Rights” aims to grant local governments authority to regulate or prevent large data centers, although the state House has not yet taken up this measure. Several specific projects are facing hurdles. In Fort Meade, the city commission approved a project for eight buildings, but the Southwest Florida Water Management District raised concerns about lacking water permits. Florida Commerce Secretary Alex Kelly also deemed the overall Fort Meade project "fundamentally flawed." Separately, in Palm Beach County, Project Tango, a nine-building data center, received zoning board approval but is still under review by the county commission due to local opposition over water and electricity use. The project developer, WPB Logistics, needs county approval for a master-plan change to expand the previously approved site. In Nassau County, near Jacksonville International Airport, a large project spanning 1,600 acres is facing a proposed 12-month moratorium from the Nassau County Commission, citing high demand for water and electricity and long-term concerns about the Floridan Aquifer. Additionally, Atlas Compute, a Miami-based startup, is considering a 200 MW data center in St. Lucie County that plans to include its own onsite power plant due to massive electricity demands. These ongoing developments highlight a growing statewide debate over data center expansion and its community and environmental impacts.