Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Comment Environment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge action on coal-mine slurry site, voice skepticism about data centers and AI
Summary
Public commenters asked the board to place the Ashire coal-mine slurry site on the June 29 agenda and raised concerns about proposed data centers and AI reliability, arguing the county could bear increased utility costs without commensurate benefits.
Two members of the public spoke during the meeting's public-comment period with environmental and technology concerns.
Jim Shields read a letter into the record requesting that the board place an item on the June 29 agenda regarding the Ashire coal-mine slurry site, which he described as an "unregulated industrial landfill." Shields asked the county to report what actions it has taken in the past 12 months, to explain how a deed transfer occurred without remediation, and to inform residents about next steps. He said he will return at a future meeting to address data-center issues but wanted the slurry item scheduled first.
Martin Heath submitted material for the record and urged commissioners to scrutinize proposed data centers touted as AI facilities. Heath called AI an "advanced calculator," cautioned about AI "hallucinations," and cited a reported Amazon incident to argue that AI systems can produce erroneous outcomes and that the county should not be left bearing utility or infrastructure costs without clear payback to residents.
Board response was limited to acknowledging the comments and the clerk noted the Shields letter for a future agenda. The board did not take immediate action on either public comment but the Shields request specified a June 29 agenda date for follow-up.
