Savannah weighs a 155-day pause on large-scale data centers
Communities in Georgia's Coastal Empire and Lowcountry are adopting varied approaches to data center development, including advancing projects and imposing moratoriums. Savannah is considering a 155-day pause on large-scale data centers, while Jasper County has advanced a temporary moratorium for further study. OpenAI's $20 billion project in Effingham County is proceeding despite a legal challenge to its zoning.
Communities across Georgia's Coastal Empire and Lowcountry regions are taking varied stances on data center development, ranging from advancing projects to implementing moratoriums. Savannah City Council is set to vote Thursday on a proposed ordinance that would enact a 155-day pause on large-scale data center construction, specifically targeting facilities requiring 10 megawatts or more and conversions of industrial buildings.
Meanwhile, OpenAI's proposed $20 billion, 1,400-acre facility in Effingham County is moving forward, although it faces ongoing opposition, including a lawsuit challenging its zoning process. Chris Lehane, OpenAI's chief of global affairs, highlighted the region's innovation, while Raymond Carver, a plaintiff in the lawsuit, expressed concerns about lack of community voice in the process.
Other counties are also grappling with data center proposals. Wayne County commissioners have raised concerns about a lack of transparency regarding a proposed data center and are exploring local ordinances for greater oversight. Jasper County Council, led by Chairman Joey Rowell, has advanced a temporary moratorium to allow more time to study the environmental impacts, particularly on water and power infrastructure. Appling County currently has a moratorium in place, and Bulloch County previously imposed a temporary pause in its unincorporated areas.