Okmulgee residents protest against proposed data center
Okmulgee, Oklahoma residents are protesting a proposed data center, expressing concerns about its location in a floodplain. A local resident has filed for a moratorium to halt the project, while an official suggests such a moratorium might lack legal enforceability if solely based on floodplain development.
Okmulgee, Oklahoma residents are actively protesting a proposed data center, with a significant meeting held at the Muscogee Nation to discuss their concerns. Tamara Day, one of the protesting residents, has formally filed for a moratorium to halt the project and is gathering signatures to bolster support. Residents expressed their desire for more transparency and a feeling that their voices are not being adequately heard regarding the development's future.
However, Florence's Assistant Emergency Manager, Jeff Moore, stated that a moratorium based solely on land development within the floodplain might lack legal enforceability. He explained that current regulations require companies proposing projects in the floodplain to demonstrate, through a hydrological study, that their development will not negatively impact the floodplain. This includes ensuring no increase in flood height by more than one foot, no flooding of adjacent properties, and the implementation of efficient drainage systems.
The residents' main concerns appear to stem from the potential impact on the floodplain, which is also the basis for the proposed moratorium.