DeKalb Rejects Massive Data Center Planned for Majority-Black Community - Capital B News
The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners rejected plans for a 2 million square foot data center in Ellenwood, Georgia, following months of community opposition over environmental and infrastructure concerns. This decision comes as the county faces a lawsuit challenging its existing moratorium on data center development, which has been extended several times.
The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners recently rejected plans for a massive 2 million square foot data center project by PCC-DeKalb LLC in Ellenwood, Georgia, a predominantly Black community. This decision followed nearly a year of sustained community opposition led by residents and groups like the DeKalb Citizens Coalition, who voiced significant concerns about the potential environmental and infrastructure impacts.
Organizer Jackie Malcom, who lives near the proposed site, highlighted the community's existing struggles with poor air quality and pollution, fearing the data center would exacerbate health issues for residents, particularly those with conditions like asthma. Gina Mangham, another organizer, raised concerns about the project's strain on DeKalb County's aging water system, which already experiences capacity issues, sewage overspills, and water main breaks, arguing that such a large development would place massive demands on natural resources.
This rejection aligns with a growing trend of communities across Georgia and the nation opposing large data center developments due to their substantial energy and water consumption. Science for Georgia estimated that current and planned data centers in the state could demand energy equivalent to powering 3.9 million homes and consume 27 billion gallons of water annually by 2025.
Despite the specific project's denial, DeKalb County's battle over data centers is ongoing. The county is currently facing a lawsuit from companies, including Shadowbox Studios and an affiliated real estate firm, challenging the legality of a moratorium on new data center applications, which the commissioners enacted in July 2025 and have since extended multiple times. The lawsuit contends that the moratorium lacks a rational basis, especially after the county rejected proposed data center regulations in June. Community organizers are urging the county to vigorously defend against this legal challenge.