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Public commenters urge caution on large data centers and warn of federal budget cuts' local impact
Summary
During the public-comment period, residents urged commissioners to consider environmental impacts of large AI-capacity data centers, warned that federal funding cuts could harm local services, and raised national-election and gun-safety concerns; commissioners did not offer detailed responses during the hearing.
During the June 10 public-comment period several residents raised issues the commissioners may consider in future planning and outreach.
Claire Golden of Andover Township urged the commissioners to distinguish between smaller internet data centers and large, high-capacity AI data centers, saying the latter can occupy vast land areas and have significant environmental impacts. "If you're going to support data centers, you really should visit a large AI data center... they really do have a devastating effect on the environment," Golden said.
Matthew Brennan of Hampton Township warned that proposed federal spending cuts could ripple down to Sussex County programs, citing potential reductions in special-education funding, school meals, and Medicaid-linked services. Brennan asked how the county plans to respond if federal grants shrink.
Other public commenters used their time to express political views about national leaders, election integrity and to call for local attention to gun-safety policy and Pride Month events; Joe Van Allen urged policy, not only "thoughts and prayers," on gun safety and invited commissioners to attend a Pride Day in Newton.
None of the public commenters requested formal county action that produced immediate votes at the June 10 meeting; the board closed the floor after the public-comment period and returned to regular business.
