LOWNDES COUNTY, GA — A proposed 720-acre AI data center near the Foxborough subdivision has become one of the most contentious issues in Lowndes County, drawing packed town halls, an open letter to county commissioners, and growing calls for a moratorium on the project.
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The development on Coleman Road is tied to AI infrastructure company DC BLOX and local lawyer and businessman Pope Langdale III, who is working with the company to build the center in Valdosta.
Neighbors have flooded recent town halls demanding answers about the project's potential impact on water quality, land use, and local infrastructure. Lowndes Citizens Against Data Centers (LCAD) sent an open letter to the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners calling for a moratorium — a temporary freeze on the project — until residents can gather more information.
George Fisher, a former geologist who lives near the proposed site, said his biggest concern is the safety of the local water supply.
"What my concern is, is my love of Toy Story. I watch it all the time and I love it when Woody pulls a string and he goes, 'There's a snake in my boot,' 'Reach for the sky,' and 'Someone poisoned the water hole.' So what I want to do is I want to make sure the water for us is safe to drink."
Fisher also argued the Coleman Road location is simply the wrong fit for a project of this scale.
"There's thousands and thousands of acres in Echols County, and go to Echols County. There's too many people around here. You're too close to the city. You're too close to infrastructure. You're too close to schools."
County leaders say they share those concerns and are not moving quickly on any approvals. Lowndes County Manager Paige Dukes confirmed no permits are being approved while commissioners continue researching how similar projects have played out in other communities.
"Those are the very same concerns that our commission shares, and that's the very same information that we continue to research. Sadly, there's more examples of how data centers have not been managed well in other local communities, but I think we have an opportunity to learn from that."
Dukes said more town halls and public input opportunities are expected in the coming months.
While community opposition grows, the data center industry has pointed to significant economic benefits. According to the Data Center Coalition, the U.S. data center industry directly contributed $162.7 billion in tax revenue to local, state and federal governments in 2023 — a 146% increase from 2017.
The coalition also said each data center can employ dozens to hundreds of direct workers, with each job supporting 6 additional jobs elsewhere in the economy. Construction alone can employ hundreds of workers over multiple years, with some projects peaking at more than 1,000 construction workers. The industry also supports ongoing trade jobs, including electricians, pipefitters, and heating and cooling technicians.
County officials in South Georgia have cited those same job creation and tax revenue figures as key reasons to support data center development in the region.
Still, at least one resident is urging neighbors to conduct their own research on data centers after spending weeks studying their potential impact on land, water, and local property rights — even as the industry and local officials continue to highlight the economic upside.
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