Fight against $6B Amazon data center taken to appeals court
Shreveport residents have appealed the city's special-use permit for a proposed $6 billion Amazon data center to the Louisiana Second Circuit Court of Appeal. This action follows the dismissal of their challenge in district court. Residents cite concerns about water use, noise, lighting, and the impact on the electrical grid.
A group of Shreveport residents has escalated their legal challenge against the special-use permit granted to Amazon for a proposed $6 billion data center in west Shreveport, taking their fight to the Louisiana Second Circuit Court of Appeal. This move comes after their initial challenge was dismissed in district court.
The three Shreveport residents are contesting the permit that allows Amazon to construct the data center within Resilient Technology Park. They have vocalized concerns regarding potential impacts on water usage, noise levels, lighting, and the strain on the existing electrical grid, with one resident expressing worry about electricity supply for medical equipment like CPAP machines.
Clay Garside, the attorney representing the plaintiffs, argued that the Shreveport City Council approved the special-use permit without sufficient information regarding the facility's operational details. He asserted that a more detailed plan was required to address these public concerns.
Conversely, Nicole Buerkle, counsel for the City of Shreveport, countered that the project met or surpassed all necessary requirements for the special-use permit, and that the City Council possessed adequate information for approval. Buerkle highlighted that Councilwoman Ursula Bowman, whose district encompasses the data center area, had toured a data center in Virginia to make an informed decision. According to Amazon Web Services, the project is planned to feature a 72-story data center.