Little Rock defers data-center moratorium to Aug. 4 as residents press for transparency and emergency planning

The Little Rock City Board of Directors deferred action on a proposed data-center moratorium ordinance to its Aug. 4 meeting at the sponsors’ request, while hearing multiple public comments urging greater transparency and emergency preparedness related to a planned Google data center at the Port of Little Rock.

Several public speakers said they were concerned about perceived carve-outs for big technology companies and the lack of clear information from the city. One speaker said the community is tired of “basic transparency” and urged residents to participate in local elections. “We were trying to find out why you guys keep trying to push these ordinances that, you know, exempt Google,” a resident told the board.

Kathy Wells, president of the Coalition of Little Rock Neighborhoods, said the city has not presented a plan for handling fires or other disasters at the proposed data center and urged the board to budget funds in 2027 for specialized equipment, training, multi-agency planning and monitoring. She also urged the board to consider an impact fee rather than assuming the company will cover those costs. “Google cannot pay its way until you present that invoice,” Wells said, and she listed planning steps including pre-incident plans, air monitoring, specialized training, mutual-aid agreements and long procurement timelines for specialized vehicles.

Board members did not take up the ordinance at this meeting; Mayor Scott announced the item was deferred per the sponsors and would be discussed on Aug. 4, 2026.

What’s next: the moratorium ordinance will return on Aug. 4. Community groups have scheduled a Coalition meeting to discuss preparedness and are seeking a city representative to participate.