Clarendon County Council advances third, final reading of data center moratorium
The Clarendon County Council unanimously passed its third and final reading for a moratorium on future data center development within the county. This decision aims to close any permitting loopholes while further research is conducted on data center impacts. Public concerns persist regarding environmental effects and the power to reject future projects, particularly concerning 'Project 59' and water usage.
The Clarendon County Council unanimously approved the third and final reading of a moratorium on new data center development in the county. This measure was passed to close potential loopholes, preventing any immediate applications while the county conducts further research into the impacts of data centers.
Despite the council's action, a mandatory public hearing revealed ongoing concerns from citizens regarding potential impacts on tourism, local growth, and environmental issues, particularly water usage. Although officials noted that a proposed closed-loop cooling system would recycle water for approximately 10 years, residents pressed for technical details.
Much of the public's concern centers on a project referred to as "Project 59," though council members clarified that the moratorium does not directly affect the county industrial park or any existing construction related to this project. Officials also stated that Santee Electric Co-op, which owns land where a data center could hypothetically operate, has not finalized plans nor requested tax breaks, preventing council interference at this stage. The council will continue to research data center impacts but emphasized that an outright ban would be discriminatory.