Come see the beauty of a sunset and full moon rising across the lake. There may be bats.
This Outing is honoring Teachers and Nurses, who get free entry.
When: Gather 7:15 PM, launch 7:45 PM, moonrise 8:30 PM, sunset 8:11 PM, end 9:15 PM, Friday, May 1, 2026
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Full Flower Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, Georgia, 7:15 PM, 2026-05-01]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2026-05-01--full-flower-moon-paddle/fbmany.jpg)
Full Flower Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, Georgia, 7:15 PM, 2026-05-01
Here are WWALS videos of the first Irwin County Commission Public Hearing about a Data Center Ordinance, on March 17, 2026.
The next Public Hearing will be March 30, 2026 at 5:45p.m in the Irwin County Courthouse, located at 301 South Irwin Avenue, Ocilla, Georgia.
The third and last Public Hearing will be April 6, 2026, before the Irwin County Commission meeting, presumably also at 5:45 PM and at the Courthouse.
![[Videos: Public Hearing about Datacenter Ordinance --Irwin County BOCC, 2026-03-17]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2026-03-17--datacenter-ordinance-irwin-county-videos/many.jpg)
Videos: Public Hearing about Datacenter Ordinance –Irwin County BOCC, 2026-03-17
Among the many good points brought up by citizens at the March 17 Public Hearing were the need for much more due diligence, tuning the ordinance to prevent specific harms, enforcement of the ordinance, as well as specific concerns of cost of wells, water levels, water quality, vegetative buffers, waste disposal, air quality, noise levels, wildlife, electric power, property values, agriculture, the Alapaha River, and limits on the size of any datacenters.
Despite a persistent rumor, the Irwin County Commission definitely did not vote on the previous datacenter application, because the applicant withdrew the application, so there was nothing to vote on.
See also Continue reading
This is what I sent to Irwin County before their Public Hearing on a draft datacenter ordinance.
As you may recall, the datacenter proposed near Irwinville and the Alapaha River was withdrawn by applicant at the Irwin County Commission meeting on March 2, so there was nothing for the Commissioners to vote on at that time. But they are prudently working up a datacenter ordinance.
For more about datacenters, see:
https://wwals.net/issues/datacenters/
![[Suggested additional sections for Irwin County datacenter ordinance, by WWALS 2026-03-17]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2026-03-17--wwals-irwin-county-datacenter-ordinance/fbmany.jpg)
Suggested additional sections for Irwin County datacenter ordinance, by WWALS 2026-03-17
Dear Irwin County,
Please permit me to compliment you on the draft data center ordinance.
I especially like that it permits only closed loop cooling systems.May I suggest that it could benefit by some additional sections, perhaps like those in the attached model ordinance.
Specifically sections like those on: Continue reading
Irwin County is holding a Public Hearing about a Data Center Ordinance
tomorrow, March 17, 2026, at 6 PM,
in the Irwin County Administration Building, 225 East Fourth Street, Ocilla, Georgia.
![[Public Hearing about Datacenter Ordinance, Irwin County BOC, 6 PM, March 17, 2026]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2026-03-17--datacenter-ordinance-irwin-county/igmany.jpg)
Public Hearing about Datacenter Ordinance, Irwin County BOC, 6 PM, March 17, 2026
See also Irwinville Data Center Withdrawn by Applicant, Irwin County Commission 2026-03-02.
Here is the Public Notice and the draft ordinance.
Linked in a popup on https://irwincounty-ga.gov:
The Irwin County Board of Commissioners will hold a Public Hearing on March 17, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in the Irwin County Administration Building, located at 225 East Fourth Street, Ocilla, Georgia and March 30, 2026 at 5:45p.m in the Irwin County Courthouse, located at 301 South Irwin Avenue, Ocilla, Georgia. The purpose of these hearings are to receive public comments regarding the following matter:
Continue reading
- Review Data Center Ordinance
Here’s a reason to stay until the end of a County Commission meeting.
A proposed data center ordinance was read at the March 2, 2026, Irwin County Commission meeting, according to correspondence between the former data center applicant’s attorney and the Irwin County Attorney.
It was not on the agenda. I’m guessing they read it under
13. NEW BUSINESS
a. APPROVE APPLICATION FOR A SPECIAL EXCEPTION TO ZONING FOR DATA CENTER
Tomorrow in Ocilla there is a a Public Hearing about Datacenter Ordinance –Irwin County Board of Commissioners 2026-03-17.
I got the attorney correspondence by asking in an open records request for the applicant withdrawal letter that staff read at the Public Hearing on March 2.
First, that withdrawal letter.
Then a document on Developments of Regional Impact (DRI).
Then a couple of maps labeled as Concept Site Plan with the name for the project as Ocilla DC.
Finally, there are images of the rest of the document the County Attorney sent in response to a WWALS open records request. The entire PDF document he sent is on the WWALS website. Continue reading
Update 2026-03-02: Datacenter Special Exception Public Hearing @ Irwin County Commission 2026-03-02.
All four Planning Commissioners present voted to recommend approval of the proposed Special Exception for the Data Center near Irwinville, last Thursday, February 26, 2026.
The next stop is the Irwin County Commission, this Monday, March 2, 2026, at 5:45 PM, in the same location, the Irwin County Courthouse, 301 South Irwin Avenue, Ocilla, Ga. 31774.
After numerous people spoke against and a few for that item, IC-SE-01-2026, two of the members of the Ocilla-Irwin County Planning Advisory Commission spoke at length about what they had been told or read or saw on a visit to another datacenter, as why they were for it, plus the promise of $20 million a year in tax revenue.
None of that was in the extremely thin board packet. So thin that their staff, Jessica Harris, Irwin County Interim Chief Appraiser, said at the beginning of that item that staff had no recommendation for or against because there was not enough information to go on.
The other two Planning Commissioners said they were for tabling the item due to lack of information.
However, one of the two for the project, Chairman Alan Smith, moved for approval. The other one, Vice Chair Tara Smith, seconded. And the remaining two, Arlinda Murrell and Ms. Walker, reluctantly also raised their hands.
Questions not answered with any documentation continue to include who is the datacenter customer (Google?), where are the specifications for the closed loop cooling water system, and what would those 200-300 high-paying local permanent jobs be doing, that were advertised in the slides for Irwin Forward Tech Park.
The proposed location is on Ponderosa Drive, Irwinville, Georgia 31783, quite near the Alapaha River.
Below are links to each WWALS video of each speaker or topic, with a few notes by John S. Quarterman, followed by a WWALS video playlist.
Most speakers were against the special exception, except for the few noted as for or as part of or attorney for the applicant.
Apologies for any incorrect names. And Continue reading
Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle on Banks Lake, our watery livingroom. Probably the bats will be flying again.
When: Gather 6:30 PM, launch 7 PM, moonrise 7:45 PM, sunset 7:52 PM, end 8:30 PM, Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Full Pink Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR 2026-04-01, See the sun set, Moon rise, and maybe bats]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2026-04-01--full-pink-moon-paddle/fbmany.jpg)
Full Pink Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR 2026-04-01, See the sun set, Moon rise, and maybe bats
Whoever is behind it is making big claims for Irwin Forward Tech Park: $20 million in tax revenue, 200-300 high-paying local permanent jobs, no fumes, limited noise, closed loop water, and no discharge.
This is according to a package of materials somebody sent me that I hear has been circulating in Irwin County.
If all this is true, why aren’t we hearing about it in public?
And where are the references to other places where this has already been done?
Remember, the Planning Commission Public Hearing on the special exception is Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 6 PM in Ocilla, supposedly moved to the Irwin Courthouse, 301 South Irwin Avenue, Ocilla, Ga. 31774.
The County Commission meeting is Monday, March 2, 2026, at 5:45 PM.
This is for the proposed site south of Irwinville, west of Ponderosa Drive, east of the Alapaha River.
More details here:
Someone has started a change.org petition against this datacenter:
https://www.change.org/p/protect-irwin-county-from-data-centers
And don’t forget the two bills in the legislature right now: Continue reading
In an interview yesterday by WALB TV:
Meanwhile, WWALS Watershed Coalition Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman said his own research raises concerns about what large-scale data centers could mean for local water resources and river health.
Quarterman said data centers typically require significant water for cooling and large amounts of electricity to operate, which he argues can indirectly affect water resources through increased demand on power generation. He said the Suwannee River Basin and surrounding aquifer systems are closely connected, meaning impacts to surface water can also affect drinking water supplies, agriculture and recreation.
Quarterman adds that water levels in some rivers and springs are already low during drought conditions, and he said he worries additional industrial demand could place further strain on natural resources.
See also the datacenter bills in Datacenter proposed, Irwinville, near Alapaha River 2026-02-26.
Taylor Lewis, WALB News 10, February 16, 2026, updated 6 PM, 2nd South Georgia county moves to dissolve industrial authority: What it could mean for future data center builds. Continue reading
Update 2026-02-25: Solid Waste Open Dump Consent Order on Dwight Caton in Berrien County, GA 2025-12-22.
Update 2026-02-21: Clean Santa Fe, Alapaha Rivers, cleaner Withlacoochee, New Rivers 2026-02-19.
Mike Paulk sent this video of what he saw yesterday at GA 135 on the Alapaha River, south of Willacoochee, Georgia.
![[Nasty water, Alapaha River @ GA 135, After big rain, Rose 1 foot in 3.5 hours]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2026-02-16--alapaha-river/fbmany.jpg)
Nasty water, Alapaha River @ GA 135, After big rain, Rose 1 foot in 3.5 hours
He said the river rose a foot in 3 and a half hours, and he’s never seen it look like that.
Here’s the video:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1433056248290635
https://youtube.com/shorts/ppVqQc3FRkY
Anybody who has any information, please send it to us.
-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/
![[Irwinville Data Center, Withdrawn by Applicant 2026-03-02, Irwin County Commission, and Developments of Regional Impact (DRI)]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2026-03-02--datacenter-withdrawn-irwin-county-commission/igmany.jpg)
![[Datacenter: recommended approval, Irwin County Planning Commission, After many speakers, most against 2026-02-26]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2026-02-26--irwin-county-planning-commission-datacenter-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
![[Irwin Forward Tech Park, Irwinville, Irwin County, GA, Claims closed loop water, Limited noise, no discharge]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2026-02-19--irwin-forward-tech-park/fbmany.jpg)
![[Datacenter water use, Irwin County Planning Commission, and Industrial Authority @ WALB TV 2026-02-16]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2026-02-16--walb-datacenters/fbmany.jpg)
![[Whirlpak 2026-02-26 --WALB TV]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2026-02-16--walb-datacenters/2026-02-26--whirlpak.jpg)