Parish council rejects 8-month moratorium on new data centers

Following an extensive debate, the St. Charles Parish council in Louisiana voted 5-3 against implementing an eight-month moratorium on new data centers. The proposed moratorium aimed to provide the parish with time to establish specific regulations addressing data center location, size, water and energy consumption, and noise levels. Council members Michael Mobley, Holly Fonseca, Heather Skiba, Willie Comardelle, and Bob Fisher opposed the measure, arguing it would signal that St. Charles Parish is "closed for business" and deter industry. Fonseca expressed concern about "fear that has been unnecessarily instilled" in residents. Conversely, Council members Michelle O’Daniels, LaSandra Wilson, and Walter Piliè supported the moratorium, emphasizing the need for protective measures for residents in the absence of comprehensive regulations. O'Daniels stated her priority was resident protection, while Piliè criticized the rushed process of regulating data centers. Several residents, including Joseph Coco of Destrehan, spoke in favor of the moratorium, citing low local employment from AI data centers and their significant water and power demands compared to traditional industries. Parish President Matthew Jewel argued that large-scale data centers would fall under heavy manufacturing zoning and that St. Charles Parish's land constraints make it an unlikely candidate for hyperscale facilities like Meta's in Richland Parish. However, resident Joey Edwards, who owns a home near the Richland Parish site, called that project a "disaster" and urged proactive measures in St. Charles Parish. The issue is set to return to the council on May 18, when an ordinance introduced by President Jewel, which addresses data center zoning, will be considered. Councilman Piliè expressed skepticism about the proposal's completeness, particularly regarding definitions for large and small data centers, given the short timeframe for review.