Nearly 1,900 U.S. Public Schools Within a Mile of a Data Center
A data center project called Project Sail in Coweta County, Georgia, faces opposition from local families and a group suing the county after the land was rezoned. Concerns include traffic, noise, and environmental impacts like water quality and heat. This local battle is part of a national trend where data center expansion conflicts with communities, with other projects rejected in Florida and similar opposition in Clayton County, Georgia.
The article highlights the growing conflict between rapidly expanding data center developments and local communities across the United States. In Newnan, Georgia, Project Sail, a sprawling data center campus proposed by Prologis in Coweta County, faces strong opposition from local families and the group Citizens for Rural Coweta. Despite a lawsuit filed by the group and an ongoing petition drive, the Coweta County commission rezoned 832 rural acres for the industrial development, which could take a decade to complete. Residents express concerns about increased traffic, noise, water quality impacts, and potential "heat island" effects, particularly given the proximity to Arnco-Sargent Elementary, a high-poverty school.
The article also details similar conflicts elsewhere. In Palm Beach County, Florida, the county commission rejected "Project Tango," a 202-acre data center proposed near Saddle View Elementary, following concerns raised by school board member Marcia Andrews. While rejected, the developers retain the option to resubmit. Furthermore, residents in Lovejoy, Clayton County, Georgia, are petitioning against a planned facility near two schools, citing legitimate questions about long-term impacts.
Beyond direct community impact, the report discusses broader environmental and resource concerns. Data centers are major consumers of electricity and water, leading some local governments and New York state to impose moratoriums. Virginia recently enacted an electricity consumption tax on data centers to offset tax break revenue declines. Research from Brown University, shared exclusively with The 74, indicates that nearly 1,900 U.S. public schools are within a mile of existing or approved data centers, with preliminary findings suggesting lower math scores for students in close proximity due to potential pollution.