NAHUNTA — Public participation quickly got heated during the Brantley Commission’s work session Tuesday night.
The community has been up in arms ever since the Board of Commissioners announced at a called public hearing Tuesday, January 20 it would consider amending the county’s Land Use Ordinance, adding “Data Centers” as a special exception under Light Industrial Zoning.
Many residents were hesitant about the prospect of a data center draining local resources, producing waste and pollutants or otherwise causing harm.
Though many had already made a case to commissioners at the Brantley County Courthouse during the called public hearing, 10 residents took the podium at the Tuesday, February 3 work session to plead for or against proceeding with a vote.
Community members Robert Wilson, Hampton Ammons, Shannon Gregory, Kat Montgomery, Tim Lewis, Madison Maassen, Lili Fulk and Tonja Tomanek opposed the proposal. They felt the vote was happening before commissioners could collect sufficient information.
“If you’re not fully informed, we don’t need to vote on it,” stated Wilson.
Many speakers worried allowing a data center into the community would be a drain on the county’s natural resources, such as the Satilla River and Floridian Aquifer.
Gregory believes Brantley County’s power resources might also be negatively impacted.
“Here’s the thing, data centers don’t have to report how much water or electricity they’re using, so everyone is in the dark,” said Satilla Riverkeeper’s Gregory. “That’s why this panic is going throughout the state, saying, ‘Wait, we need to figure out how we can power the existing facilities before bringing more.’” Gregory recommended commissioners research various bills to protect Brantley County’s resources and community members, such as Townsend’s ‘Bad Actors Bill,’ Senate Bill 34, House Bill 1063, Senate Bill 408, House Bill 559, House Bill 528, Senate Bill 421 and House Bill 1012.
Speakers also wanted to know if the hypothetical data center were to bring money into the community, what those additional funds would be used for.
Photos by MALLON GILL Concerned citizens spoke at the Brantley Commission’s work session. Pictured (l-r) are Tim Lewis, Tonja Tomanek, Kat Montgomery, Ronald Ham, Robert Wilson, and Hampton Ammons.
They warned commissioners there would be no way of going back once a data center is invited into the area and encouraged waiting on further analysis from communities that have already been impacted.
Commissioner Andy Riggins commented on the possibility of the county ending up in this ‘either/or’ scenario.
“We have not been officially notified of anybody wanting to bring [a data center] into the area . . . we were approached unofficially about the possibility,” stated Riggins. “If at some time we get an official request to do that — it would go to a public hearing — but at that point, it could wind up either/or.”
Roald Ham felt the Brantley County landfill was already guaranteed.
“It’s not ‘if,’ it’s not ‘when,’ it’s not ‘maybe.’ It’s coming,” Ham said. “The landowners have offered (the land) to another company who’s wanting to bring a data center in . . . (the landowners) don’t want to be in the landfill business, so they’re hoping that (commissioners) get the ordinance figured out before somebody else comes along and buys the property that wants to build a landfill.”
Wilson interrupted Ham before his time was up, accusing him of being a representative for the company in charge of the proposed landfill.
“He is representing the data center, but he also showed up to represent the landfill,” said Wilson.
Ham denied this claim. Commissioners directed the conversation back to official matters.
The Board stated Tuesday they have been working diligently behind the scenes to become better informed on the impact data centers may have on our community.
Commissioner Riggins said the board has formed a citizen group from “all walks of life” to “look at helping (commissioners) perform an ordinance” since the January 20 called meeting.
