Keep Data Centers Out of Putnam County
In recent months, our team, along with local supporters, has spoken during Putnam County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meetings, urging support for a data center moratorium to ensure our river and groundwater are protected. The commissioners agreed that protections were needed, and the county attorney drafted an ordinance for a temporary moratorium.
The first draft prohibited only large-scale data centers (10,000+ square feet) from receiving discretionary approval. After submitting additional public comments, we successfully convinced the commissioners to expand the moratorium to include medium-sized data centers. We also requested the removal of the word “discretionary” so that ministerial approvals (approvals based on a checklist rather than an individual assessment of the project) would be prohibited as well, and commissioners expressed their intent to block any progression through ministerial approval.
On September 8th, the ordinance was approved unanimously on second reading and became effective immediately.
We are concerned about the significant amount of land, water, and energy required to build and operate data centers and the substantial wastewater often produced that can contain treatment chemicals.
Learn more about data centers and their emerging environmental implications in our watershed and beyond from this recent Keeping Current with St. Johns Riverkeeper Lunch & Learn recording.