Lowndes County Commission approves controversial Project Red Clay data center
The Lowndes County Commission approved development agreements for Cloverleaf Infrastructure's 2,200-acre Project Red Clay hyperscale data center near U.S. 80 and Alabama 21. Residents have strongly opposed the project over transparency, noise, environmental, water and energy concerns, but the agreements were approved with standards covering setbacks, noise, water use, lighting and backup generators.
The Lowndes County Commission approved development agreements for Project Red Clay, a proposed hyperscale data center that Cloverleaf Infrastructure plans to develop on 2,200 acres near U.S. 80 and Alabama 21. The project is expected to involve an initial investment of about $33 billion, provide 1,000 megawatts of capacity and generate an estimated $2.85 billion in local tax revenue over 20 years. The agreements include a 20-year tax abatement and legally enforceable requirements for setbacks, noise, water use, lighting and backup generator operations.
Residents have packed commission meetings to question the project's ownership, environmental effects, water and energy demands, and the lack of disclosure about its eventual operator. Protect Lowndes County is seeking records, the identities of all project participants, and additional economic and resource information. Cloverleaf CEO David Berry said the company expects to identify the nationally recognized end user soon, while the Lowndes County Economic Development Commission supported moving forward. Construction is projected to create about 1,000 jobs, with 225 permanent positions after completion.