Albany/Dougherty County among local governments looking at data centers

ALBANY – Officials in Dougherty County say it’s only a matter of time before a data center developer, depending on one’s point of view, blesses or targets the community. 

There have been a few inquiries, but no concrete proposal in Albany or Dougherty County, but the growing industry is looking to place data centers in nearby Crisp and Early counties.

On Tuesday, the Early County Commission approved an ordinance regulating data centers, with opponents of the centers expressing concerns about potential contamination of water and pollution.

On Monday, three speakers urged the Dougherty County Commission to enact a temporary moratorium on data center projects. Dougherty County Attorney Alex Shalishali is currently drafting an ordinance to regulate data centers.

The three speakers who gave comments on Monday are part of the Sowega Aquifer Alliance.

“Our understanding is that data center developments look like an easy fix for the problems that face rural America, but this is a Faustian deal at best,” Dougherty County resident James Malphrus said. “You can see the effects in communities across the state and country. 

“In Newton County, Georgia, families found their wells polluted and running dry after Meta began construction of a facility there. In Coweta County, Georgia Power is using eminent domain, stripping away family homes, to make way for high-transmission power lines to feed these facilities.”

While the companies bring promises of revenue and jobs, those promises are a lie, Malphrus said. He urged the commission to enact a one-year moratorium to give it time to research and measure potential outcomes and to prepare and adopt ordinances to protect people and the environment. 

The group has been gathering research in order to provide a framework for ordinances, information that it will present to the county when its work is completed, he said.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Shalishali told The Albany Herald that he intended to present a draft ordinance to the commission to regulate data centers within a few weeks.

“We’re not rushing to get anything,” Commission Chairman Lorenzo Heard said. “We can do a moratorium, but the truth of the matter is we’re going to make sure our taxpayers are (protected).”

The commission’s rules do not allow for the board to pass a motion during a work session meeting to meet the requests of alliance member Megan Weaver, a Lee County resident who urged that commissioners immediately consider a moratorium, the chairman said.

“You are missing a very important layer of protection (without) a moratorium,” Weaver said.

The Sowega Alliance was to be at the Early County meeting, Malphrus told a Herald reporter at the conclusion of the meeting. In addition, the group planned to attend meetings in Baker, Lee and Mitchell counties.

The city of Albany also has been discussing data centers and has had commentators request that the city impose a pause on permitting data centers. The city cannot legally prohibit data centers altogether, City Commissioner Chad Warbington said.

“If we do it (moratorium), it would be a pause so we can get a stricter and tougher ordinance,” he said. “All communities across the state and the country are trying to get something in place. Right now, we don’t have any of that in place. You can’t have a moratorium forever.”

The city has two public meetings scheduled next week to get input and present information to the community. 

Through an ordinance, the city can ensure that the facilities pay their fair share and are not a detriment to residents, Warbington said.