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Knox County commissioner proposes ordinance to restrict AI and crypto-style data centers
Summary
Commissioner Fox announced a proposed ordinance (item 43) to limit AI-style and cryptocurrency mining data centers in Knox County, citing high electricity and water use, noise, and loss of agricultural land. County IT staff and other commissioners urged narrow drafting to avoid impacting essential telecom and county-owned facilities.
Commissioner Matt Fox announced he will propose an ordinance (item 43) aimed at restricting large AI and cryptocurrency-style data centers in Knox County, citing steep power and water demands and local community impacts. "I don't think there should be any in Knox County anymore, period," Fox said during the agenda review, and asked colleagues to review the issue before a later meeting.
Fox described the scale of modern facilities in power terms, saying approximately 10,000 households of demand correspond to every 100 megawatts of capacity and that an Asbury-area site in South Knox County is about 88…
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