Oldham County residents urge fiscal court to regulate proposed ‘Project Lincoln’ data center

At the May 20 meeting of the Oldham County Fiscal Court, scores of residents used the public-comment period to press the court to regulate or reject a proposed hyperscale data center, variously identified in remarks as “Project Lincoln” or the Oldham County Data Center and promoted by Western Hospitality Partners.

Speakers urged formal steps ranging from referral to the county attorney and county engineer to creation of a study or moratorium and to use of a “thermal utility district” to capture and control waste heat. Several residents also asked the court to refuse tax abatements or other incentives for any hyperscale data center.

Alan Hayes, a LaGrange resident who said he has followed data centers for more than a decade, told the court he did not support the proposed data center and asked that the court “refer this Thermal Utility District proposal” to counsel and the county engineer so the county could document harms and establish enforceable limits. Hayes described a thermal energy district as “a closed loop water system” used in other cities and said Kentucky law provides local authority for utility districts and certain recycling programs.

Barry Laws, the constable for the district containing the proposed site, said residents were “living in fear and anxiety” about a “massive heavy industrial project” and accused the developer of misleading promises. Nathan Oberg and Don Erler urged the court not to offer tax incentives; Erler cautioned that offering abatements could reduce the net benefit that schools and the county would receive.

Several speakers recited figures posted on a website promoting the development, which a few meeting participants and magistrates said had not been authorized by the fiscal court. Robin Bessels read a list of claimed first-year tax revenues posted on the site, including an item she said showed “as much as $9,600,000 in tax revenue to our Oldham County Schools in the first year alone.” Bessels told the court the site’s language—repeatedly using “our”—created the impression the county had approved the message.

Residents also called for a moratorium while the county develops definitions and zoning rules for data centers. Nathan Oberg and others asked the court to accelerate the study and moratorium process so pending and future applications would not be grandfathered in if rules change. Oberg: “If we do allow tax incentives and abatements … it just narrows down the amount of money that the county will receive.”

Several commenters asked the court to require that any cooling system be a closed-loop thermal system, that noise, visibility and humidity standards be enforceable, and that the developer cover infrastructure costs. Amy Welborn, who identified herself as an engineer, urged magistrates to attend a University of Louisville presentation that evening on data center impacts. Jennifer Toll urged the court to examine public-health research and to identify conditions the county could impose if a conditional-use permit were considered.

Judge Executive David Vogel addressed residents repeatedly during the meeting, saying the court had not yet taken a vote on any data-center proposal and that officials needed to gather facts. Vogel described a procedural path the county is following: the study review committee is expected to recommend a definition of “data center,” that definition would go to the planning commission, and then any moratorium or zoning changes would proceed legislatively. “We don't know enough about how these places can be managed and controlled,” Vogel said, requesting patience while the court seeks technical and legal input.

Magistrate Robert Likens (Magistrate Likens) told the public he had not taken a vote and would “gather facts” before deciding. Several speakers offered to provide technical information to the court; Constable Barry Laws said local residents had compiled data on traffic and site impacts and offered to share it with officials.

The meeting produced no final decision on Project Lincoln; court members repeated that technical review, planning commission work and possible rules or moratoriums remain pending. Magistrates and staff said a technical review committee meeting and study review committee work were forthcoming, and speakers were encouraged to participate in those forums.

Ending: The fiscal court set no formal zoning or permitting decision at the May 20 session. Residents asked specifically for referrals to the county attorney and county engineer, assignment to a study subcommittee, and expedited consideration of a moratorium or formal definition; magistrates said they will continue fact-finding and that the planning and zoning process will determine next steps.