Orangeburg leaders say a data center was interested in the county. Now they want a moratorium.
Orangeburg County Council has unanimously passed a first reading of a moratorium on data center construction following interest from a company to build in the area. Councilmembers raised concerns about environmental impacts, community health, and affordability. The moratorium aims to allow time to gather more information before making final decisions on data center development.
The Orangeburg County Council in South Carolina has unanimously approved the first reading of a moratorium on new data center construction and development within the county. The decision was prompted by a company's expressed interest in building a data center off Brentwood Drive, near downtown Orangeburg.
Councilmember Latisha Walker, who called the special meeting, voiced significant concerns regarding the potential environmental, community health, and affordability impacts of data centers. She noted that other nearby counties, including York, Newberry, Fairfield, and Spartanburg, are also implementing or considering similar moratoriums. Councilwoman Janie Cooper-Smith, while absent, also expressed support for the temporary halt to allow the county to thoroughly assess the implications of such projects.
Orangeburg's Department of Public Utilities, responsible for water and wastewater services, supported the council's move to gather more credible information. The department stated that it has specific demands for data center investors, including a small footprint, job creation, quality of life enhancement, and a strict 45-decibel sound threshold at property lines, which has already deterred many projects. The department emphasized that any future data center must benefit ratepayers and the community or it will not be involved.