Mayor Arceneaux chimes in on Caddo Commission proposed data center moratoriums

Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux commented on ongoing discussions surrounding data center development during an interview with KTAL News. The Caddo Parish Commission is currently considering two significant resolutions: the first proposes requiring data center developers to conduct environmental impact studies, and the second calls for a two-year moratorium on data center construction within unincorporated areas of Caddo Parish.

Mayor Arceneaux, who was preparing to attend the Future Louisiana Conference, expressed his personal support for data center projects in Shreveport. He highlighted that decisions regarding development in unincorporated areas fall under the Caddo Parish Commission's jurisdiction, and he typically avoids interfering with their business. The Mayor also noted that existing state and federal agencies, such as the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), already provide regulatory oversight for such issues, suggesting that the city or parish may lack the resources for effective independent studies.

Addressing public concerns about water consumption, noise, light pollution, and utility costs, Mayor Arceneaux offered assurances regarding Shreveport's infrastructure. He stated that the city currently processes about 60 million gallons of water daily but has a production capacity of approximately 78 million gallons per day. He estimated that a typical data center would use only about 2 to 3 million gallons of water at most, indicating that Shreveport has sufficient water capacity to accommodate such developments.