Chester County approves data center moratorium. Public workshop dates set

The Chester County Council in South Carolina has unanimously approved a six-month moratorium on new data center applications, aiming to provide time for education on the economic and environmental impacts of such developments. This move follows similar actions by other counties in the state, including neighboring York County.

Residents voiced strong support for the moratorium during a public hearing, citing concerns about preserving Chester's rural landscape and potential environmental disruption. David Beverley, a resident, expressed fears that data centers would negatively impact future generations. The moratorium will restrict the county from accepting or processing new data center applications.

During the six-month pause, Chester County will host public workshops on August 13th and September 28th. These sessions will include speakers from utility companies, experts from the University of South Carolina's Center for Sustainable Growth, and leaders from counties already hosting data centers. Councilmember John Agee suggested opening the workshops to Spartanburg County residents, which is currently considering its own moratorium.

Separately, a group of residents has filed a lawsuit against Chester County and developer Valara Holdings, alleging that county leaders bypassed transparency measures and community input when approving a $2.8-billion data center facility. County Chair Pete Wilson encouraged greater community engagement in the moratorium process, noting low attendance at previous data center discussions.