Escambia County Commissioners say they’re ready to consider a ban on data centers.
The issue wasn’t originally on the agenda for their June 17 board meeting, but it was added for discussion after a crowd converged on county chambers during Public Forum to protest the facilities.
More than 30 people signed up to speak to the board about data centers.
They packed the room in one of the largest crowds some commissioners said they had ever seen waiting for their turn at the podium.
Most everyone opposed them and many held up signs saying as much.
“I’m here tonight to urge you to ban any AI data center in Escambia County,” said resident Christy Rosen, “because the cost to our community far outweighs the benefits.”
Like many others who protested data centers, she said data centers were not only a drain on electricity and water, they pose a threat to the environment and don’t provide the number or types of jobs that meaningfully benefit the community.
Many were under the impression local leaders were already working on a deal to support a data center. County and economic leaders said that simply isn’t true.
“I’m never going to vote for a data center,” said Escambia Commissioner Lumon May.
The fear stems from rumors that economic development leaders were in “active negotiations” with a company that was exploring the possibility of building a data center in northern Escambia County.
FloridaWest Chief Executive Officer Chris Platé repeated to the board what he told the News Journal in May — that he was not in active negotiations with the unnamed company.
He said FloridaWest did sign a non-disclosure agreement with a defense company that was exploring the possibility of building a smaller size data center in the county, which is typical of any business potentially seeking to set up shop in Escambia County, but the company has not been in contact with him in a couple of months and no deal is being discussed or negotiated.
“FloridaWest has never been in active negotiations to build a data center,” said Chief Executive Officer Chris Platé.
County leaders said they, too, did not necessarily support data centers, but it’s Platé’s job to work with companies that express an interest in doing business in Escambia County.
Ultimately, the board makes the final decision on any business and neither FloridaWest or county leaders are currently courting or supporting data centers, they said.
“FloridaWest does not pursue any standalone or hyperscale data centers,” Platé said. “This is what everyone is kind of talking about. They’re not on our target list and our regional power capacity cannot support one to begin with.”
Escambia County Attorney Alison Rogers told the board she recommended the county ban data centers and the crowd erupted in applause.
May asked that the board add the issue to the agenda for discussion later in the evening.
During that discussion, Rogers recommended the board create a regulatory ordinance on data centers that “would look at it more like an environmental protective-type ban and do it as a regular ordinance” so it does not have to go through the planning board.
Rogers said due to recent state legislation limiting moratoriums and restrictive land-use measures, a ban would bypass the planning board.
Florida Senate Bill 180 was recently signed into law to help expedite rebuilding after major hurricanes.
It prevents local municipalities and counties from enforcing restrictive construction moratoriums or increasing burdensome permitting regulations for a period of one year following a storm.
At Rogers’ suggestion, the board agreed she should draft an ordinance and present it to them at a public hearing on July 23. If they approve it in some form, the board can then have a public hearing on possibly passing the ordinance on Aug. 6.
“I can do a draft, and we can see where we get with it.” Rogers said. “If you don’t like it, we can add to it, amend it or drop it, whatever you want to do.”
Rogers said that multiple other municipalities and counties are struggling with the exact same issue right now, and Escambia County may be able to tap into how other municipalities are tackling it.
Mollye Barrows is the Escambia County Government Impact Reporter at the Pensacola News Journal. She can be reached at mbarrows@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Escambia County considers ban on data center after citizens protest
Reporting by Mollye Barrows, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
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By Mollye Barrows, Pensacola News Journal | USA TODAY Network
