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DeKalb leaders consider data center impact study
DeKalb County Board of Commissioners leaders considered a proposal to mandate a third-party study on the environmental impact of data centers before lifting a development moratorium.
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - DeKalb County officials are considering a proposal to commission an independent study examining the environmental and health impacts of local data center developments.
DeKalb data center proposal
What we know:
DeKalb County commissioners discussed a proposal Tuesday night at Dunwoody City Hall to bring in a third-party group to evaluate how large data centers impact local land, water and air.
Commissioner Ted Terry introduced the measure to ensure health and environmental effects are understood before decisions are made on future developments.
The board did not take a vote Tuesday, but members placed the proposal on the agenda for their next full meeting on Tuesday.
Community health concerns
What they're saying:
Some local residents oppose hyperscale facility expansions, raising concerns over water systems, increased power demands and rising residential utility bills.
Resident Gina Mangham said the issue centers on resident health, quality of life and rising noise pollution. Resident Rosalind McIntyre warned about heat islands and air pollution.
Terry emphasized that he wants to limit the scale of future developments, require renewable energy, ban diesel generators and enforce buffer zones around neighborhoods.
Existing development freeze
The backstory:
DeKalb County currently operates under a moratorium that pauses new data center applications through March.
According to Terry, no applications for zoning or building data centers can be received while the moratorium remains active.
DeKalb data center study
What we don't know:
Commissioners have not yet selected an outside firm to conduct the third-party study.
It remains unknown whether the board will officially approve funding for the environmental study during their upcoming vote on Tuesday.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a broadcast report by FOX 5 reporter Christopher King, who covered the DeKalb County Commissioners meeting in Dunwoody, as well as on-record statements from DeKalb County Commissioner Ted Terry and local residents Gina Mangham and Rosalind McIntyre.