Columbia County residents urge pause on proposed White Oak data center; county issues statement defending process

Residents urged the Columbia County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 21, 2025, to pause or reverse zoning approvals for the proposed White Oak Technology Park data center, citing concerns about water use, the county’s historic character in Appling and a lack of transparency; the board read a statement defending the project’s process and potential economic benefits.

Speakers including Howard Johnson, Diane Jarrett and Alan White told commissioners they fear the project will strain local water supplies, require large amounts of new electric generation and change the rural character of Appling. Howard Johnson, who identified himself as a candidate for the District 2 seat, noted the land has been rezoned by this board and urged voters to consider the Public Service Commission races that affect Georgia Power’s rate and infrastructure decisions.

“It's really not something that we need as people,” Howard Johnson said of large-scale data centers, arguing the project would consume significant water and power and reward industries he described as providing limited community value.

Diane Jarrett called the proposal a “pipe dream” and said the board’s decisions on the project and on library governance have deepened local divisions. Alan White said a data center of the proposed scale would “destroy Appling and Columbia County” by converting rural landscape into industrial sprawl and urged the commission to impose a moratorium and allow independent study of impacts.

Speakers pointed to steps other Georgia counties have taken — including moratoria or extended reviews — and cited both short- and long-term concerns about transmission, transformer availability and the time required to add new generation and transmission capacity.

In response, a board representative read a prepared statement from the Columbia County Board of Commissioners saying the county is aware of resident concerns and disputing what it called “inaccuracies” and “unfounded accusations.” The statement said negotiations have used nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) typical in economic development, that no construction has begun, and that key elements — including identification of a final end user — are not finalized.

The county statement said reversing approved zoning at this stage could expose taxpayers to costly lawsuits by developers who acted in good faith, and it described planned environmental safeguards, buffers and “closed loop” cooling designs intended to limit water use. The statement added that data centers have provided substantial tax revenue elsewhere and could support local exemptions and infrastructure investment.

The board invited residents to consult public resources and public meetings for updates; the statement said “accurate updates will be provided as they become available.” Commissioners did not take formal action on the project during the meeting.

Context and immediate next steps: speakers asked commissioners to consider a moratorium and independent studies; the county continues negotiations under confidentiality and says public updates will follow as appropriate.