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Residents urge ban on data centers; regional official says grant was for environmental testing
Summary
Multiple residents told the Laurens County Board of Commissioners they oppose data centers; the board chair and a regional planner said a recent regional grant application was for environmental testing, not a specific data-center project, and that the commission did not receive the grant.
Several residents used the public-comment period on July 21 to urge the Laurens County Board of Commissioners to ban data centers in the county. Chairman Jimmy Rogers opened the public-comment period by telling attendees the county was not pursuing a data center, calling the notion "just a rumor."
Brett Manning of the Heart of Georgia Altamaha Regional Commission told the board the regional grant application that prompted the rumor was "for environmental testing" and included the Mohawk building along with several properties across the region; he said the grant language allowed a data center as a possible future use but that the Regional Commission did not receive the grant. During public comment, Vonda Morton, Rae Bloodworth, Mallory Inkram, Nicole Morris, Tim Young, Joe Powers and others each said they oppose data centers; some commenters also raised concerns about rehabilitation facilities and asked whether stricter rules might be possible.
The board did not adopt any new restrictions during the meeting; Chairman Rogers and commissioners indicated staff and regional partners would be the source of any additional factual information brought back to the board.
