Arkansas county rejects data center pause after residents told that court meeting 'isn't a participatory event'
Pulaski County, Arkansas, rejected a proposed one-year moratorium on new data centers, allowing a controversial AVAIO Digital project in Wrightsville to proceed. Residents voiced intense concerns over power usage, water demand, and rural land use during a tense Quorum Court meeting where an amendment for more regulations was also voted down.
Pulaski County, Arkansas, rejected a proposed one-year moratorium on new data centers during a contentious Quorum Court meeting, despite vocal opposition from Wrightsville residents. This decision clears the path for a controversial AVAIO Digital data center project in Wrightsville, which has drawn criticism regarding its significant power and water demands.
Residents, concerned about the 1-gigawatt project's potential impact on the local power grid, water supplies, fire risks, and rural lifestyle, attended the meeting where Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde cautioned against disruptions. The Quorum Court first voted down an amendment seeking to impose more regulations on AVAIO's project, followed by a 10-3 vote rejecting the 12-month moratorium.
The AVAIO project's initial phase is expected to cover 30 acres, drawing 150 megawatts of electricity and consuming up to 4 million gallons of water daily. While the moratorium failed, officials acknowledge the issue remains unresolved, with calls for stronger oversight from residents and court members like Justice of the Peace Tina Ward. The county plans to revisit the matter, potentially after a tour of a data center suggested by Justice of the Peace Patricia Young-Baker.