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Residents Urge Caution on Data Centers; Some Call for Evidence‑Based Review
Summary
During non‑agenda public comment, residents raised concerns about water, electricity and environmental impacts of proposed data centers and urged independent assessments; another speaker urged commissioners to avoid hyperbole and evaluate tradeoffs using evidence.
Two members of the public used the non‑agenda public comment period on June 9 to press Paulding County officials for careful review of data centers proposed in the county.
Vanessa Summerhill, who said she lives near one of the proposed sites, asked the board to conduct independent research on water use, electricity draw and environmental and health effects before allowing data centers to be built. “These centers have a huge effect on our environment and health,” she said, and urged the board not to take private developers’ assurances at face value.
David Roberts, who identified prior service in psychological operations, urged officials to “cut through the hyperbole” and analyze claims with a structured approach (he referenced an acronym he called SCAM: source, content, audience, media, effect). Roberts said closed‑loop cooling systems reduce water use and warned against fear‑driven messaging from both proponents and opponents. He did not take a position on approvals but encouraged evidence‑based decisions.
Why it matters: Data centers can have measurable impacts on local utility demand and land use. Residents asked for preconstruction assessments rather than post‑construction review and called for the county to evaluate potential water usage, electrical load and environmental effects prior to permitting.
What’s next: Commenters asked the board to seek independent analysis; no formal staff presentation or vote on data‑center policy occurred at this meeting.
