Tag Archives: Datacenter

Radio: Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper on talk921.com 2026-03-05

Leave a reply

Join us on the radio, talk921.com, at 8 AM tomorrow morning, Thursday, March 5, 2026, to hear about the Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper this Saturday.

https://wwals.net/?p=69525

[Radio: talk921.com, 8 AM, Thursday, March 5, 2026, Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper]
Radio: talk921.com, 8 AM, Thursday, March 5, 2026, Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper

Here’s a facebook event to remind you:

https://www.facebook.com/events/2273100159762397/

Thanks to Joe Brownlee and Georgia Power for the generous grant that makes this paddle free for everyone. Thanks to Paul Deloach and The Langdale Company for river access. Thanks to Paul Batts and Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority for shuttle vans. Thanks to Steve Miller for his 4-wheeler for the takeout. And thanks to Phil Hubbard for leading this paddle.

Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman may also talk about other current topics such as: Continue reading →

Radio: Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper on talk921.com 2026-03-05

Leave a reply

Join us on the radio, talk921.com, at 8 AM tomorrow morning, Thursday, March 5, 2026, to hear about the Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper this Saturday.

https://wwals.net/?p=69525

[Radio: talk921.com, 8 AM, Thursday, March 5, 2026, Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper]
Radio: talk921.com, 8 AM, Thursday, March 5, 2026, Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper

Here’s a facebook event to remind you:

https://www.facebook.com/events/2273100159762397/

Thanks to Joe Brownlee and Georgia Power for the generous grant that makes this paddle free for everyone. Thanks to Paul Deloach and The Langdale Company for river access. Thanks to Paul Batts and Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority for shuttle vans. Thanks to Steve Miller for his 4-wheeler for the takeout. And thanks to Phil Hubbard for leading this paddle.

Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman may also talk about other current topics such as: Continue reading →

Datacenter: recommended approval –Irwin County Planning Commission 2026-02-26

1 Reply

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.

[Datacenter: recommended approval, Irwin County Planning Commission, After many speakers, most against 2026-02-26]
Datacenter: recommended approval, Irwin County Planning Commission, After many speakers, most against 2026-02-26

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 →

Datacenter electricity SB 34 in GA Senate Committee 2026-02-24

1 Reply

Today at 4PM, an important datacenter bill will be in a Georgia Senate Committee.

That’s the Senate Committee on Regulated Industries and Utilities, and GA SB 34, to prohibit electric bills of commercial data centers from being passed on to other customers.

Even if you are in favor of that datacenter, this bill is to your advantage, so you don’t end up paying higher electric rates.

[Datacenter electricity bill SB 34 in GA Senate Committee, today 4 PM 2026-02-24]
Datacenter electricity bill SB 34 in GA Senate Committee, today 4 PM 2026-02-24

You may recall that the last time this bill was heard by this committee, Senator Carden Summers tried to water it down.

Sen. Summers represents Irwinville, where a datacenter is planned, with a special exception request to be heard at an Irwin County Planning Commission in Ocilla next Thursday, February 26, 2026.

His contact information: (404) 656-9224, carden.summers@senate.ga.gov.

His District 13 includes all of Ben Hill, Irwin, Berrien, Tift, Worth, Turner, and Crisp Counties, and part of Coffee County.

If you are not in District 13, to find your legislators you can type in your ZIP code here:

http://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/

Or follow this QR code for a handy Sierra Club form: Continue reading →

Datacenters meeting, Lowndes County, GA 2026-02-17

Leave a reply

Update 2026-02-24: Datacenter electricity SB 34 in GA Senate Committee 2026-02-24.

As I said at the end, we saw unprecedented transparency from the property owner and Georgia Power, at the Lowndes County meeting about datacenters, February 17, 2026, at Valdosta State University.

We still need much more due diligence and we need a datacenter ordinance by Lowndes County.

[Unprecedented transparency, Need much more due diligence, Datacenter meeting, VSU, Lowndes County, GA 2026-02-17]
Unprecedented transparency, Need much more due diligence, Datacenter meeting, VSU, Lowndes County, GA 2026-02-17

I thank Pope Langdale for revealing that the datacenter would be by DC BLOX, and that their CEO had promised him closed loop cooling with minimal water from county utilities and a large number of high-paying jobs.

However, that CEO’s job is to be chief salesman for his product. Where are the specifications of this closed loop system? Where are some locations of DC BLOX datacenters we can all examine to see how they actually work? And ask their neighbors what they think? The DC BLOX website says they have 17 locations, and has a map with city or county names, but no further information.

Please listen to the experts on the panel and the people in the room, especially the students, who said they have not been able to find any datacenter neighbors who have had a positive experience.

I understand Joe Brownlee of Georgia Power’s wish to provide jobs and tax revenue. But, as I discussed with him after the meeting, it’s not good to get too dependent on a business that may vanish soon. Plus he is well aware that I and WWALS differ with he and Georgia Power about natural gas pipelines and power plants, more of which are now proposed to power these datacenters in Georgia.

We’ve all heard promises of many high-paying jobs before. The Sabal Trail pipeline promised that. Which turned out to be construction jobs outsourced to contractors from Texas and Oklahoma.

To the person who demanded Pope Langdale get the Lowndes County Commission to pass a datacenter ordinance: be careful what you wish for. You do not actually want local rich people completely controling local governments. You all need to be getting an ordinance passed.

Meanwhile near Irwinville, a special exception for a datacenter is on the agenda for the Ocilla/Irwin County Planning Commission this Thursday, February 26, 2026.

https://wwals.net/?p=69394

Amy Sharma’s Science for Georgia presentation slides are on the WWALS website, in PowerPoint and PDF, and on google drive.

The model datacenter ordinances by Science for Georgia are also on the WWALS website, or follow the QR code: Continue reading →

Irwin Forward Tech Park

Leave a reply

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?

[Irwin Forward Tech Park, Irwinville, Irwin County, GA, Claims closed loop water, Limited noise, no discharge]
Irwin Forward Tech Park, Irwinville, Irwin County, GA, Claims closed loop water, Limited noise, no discharge

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:

https://wwals.net/?p=69394

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 →

Datacenter water use and Irwin County Planning Commission and Industrial Authority @ WALB TV 2026-02-16

2 Replies

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.

[Datacenter water use, Irwin County Planning Commission, and Industrial Authority @ WALB TV 2026-02-16]
Datacenter water use, Irwin County Planning Commission, and Industrial Authority @ WALB TV 2026-02-16

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.

[Whirlpak 2026-02-26 --WALB TV]
Whirlpak 2026-02-26 –WALB TV

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.

https://wwals.net/?p=69394

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 →

Sen. Carden Summers tries to amend to weaken GA SB 34 that would require datacenters to pay their own electric bills @ GA Sen. Comm. on Regulated Industries and Utilities 2026-02-12

3 Replies

Update 2026-02-24: Datacenter electricity SB 34 in GA Senate Committee 2026-02-24.

Update 2026-02-17: Datacenter water use and Irwin County Planning Commission and Industrial Authority @ WALB TV 2026-02-16.

Georgia state Senator Carden Summers, who represents Irwinville, tried last Thursday to “gut” SB 34, which would require datacenters to pay their own electric bills. That’s a bill he co-sponsors.

Sen. Summers represents Irwinville, where a datacenter is planned, with a special exception request to be heard at an Irwin County Planning Commission in Ocilla next Thursday, February 26, 2026.

[Sen. Carden Summers tries 2026-02-12, to amend to weaken GA SB 34, that would require datacenters to pay their own electric bills]
Sen. Carden Summers tries 2026-02-12, to amend to weaken GA SB 34, that would require datacenters to pay their own electric bills.

He tried a similar amendment a year ago in the same committee, and could not get a second for his motion, according to Dave Williams, Capitol Beat, February 25, 2025. The committee favorably reported SB 34 on February 26, 2025, and apparently its text remains unchanged since then.

Maybe you’d like to ask Sen. Carden Summers why he is a co-sponsor of SB 34 if he doesn’t like what it says?

https://www.legis.ga.gov/members/senate/4971?session=1033
(404) 463-5258
carden.summers@senate.ga.gov

He represents Berrien, Tift, Worth, Crisp, Turner, Ben Hill, Irwin, and west half of Coffee Counties.

If he’s not your state Senator, feel free to contact yours:

https://wwals.net/about/elected-officials/georgia-senate/

This is the Senate video of the Senate Committee on Regulated Industries and Utilities on February 12, 2026, about SB 34.

Continue reading →

So-called AI hallucinates no matter how good its training data –OpenAI 2025-09-18

3 Replies

Update 2026-02-17: Sen. Carden Summers tries to amend to weaken GA SB 34 that would require datacenters to pay their own electric bills @ GA Sen. Comm. on Regulated Industries and Utilities 2026-02-12.

This is according to research by the creator of ChatGPT, the bot that started the “AI”boom.

Is this what we want in datacenters sucking up our water?

If not, see a previous post for some bills in the Georgia legislature.

https://wwals.net/?p=69394

[So-called AI hallucinates, no matter how good its training data --OpenAI 2025-09-18]
So-called AI hallucinates, no matter how good its training data –OpenAI 2025-09-18

Gyana Swain, Computerworld, September 18, 2025, OpenAI admits AI hallucinations are mathematically inevitable, not just engineering flaws,

In a landmark study, OpenAI researchers reveal that large language models will always produce plausible but false outputs, even with perfect data, due to fundamental statistical and computational limits.

OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, acknowledged in its own research that large language models will always produce hallucinations due to fundamental mathematical constraints that cannot be solved through better engineering, marking a significant admission from one of the AI industry’s leading companies.

The study, published on September 4 and led by OpenAI researchers Adam Tauman Kalai, Edwin Zhang, and Ofir Nachum alongside Georgia Tech’s Santosh S. Vempala, provided a comprehensive mathematical framework explaining why AI systems must generate plausible but false information even when trained on perfect data.

“Like students facing hard exam questions, large language models sometimes guess when uncertain, producing plausible yet incorrect statements instead of admitting uncertainty,” the researchers wrote in the paper. “Such ‘hallucinations’ persist even in state-of-the-art systems and undermine trust.”

The admission carried particular weight given OpenAI’s position as the creator of ChatGPT, which sparked the current AI boom and convinced millions of users and enterprises to adopt generative AI technology.

Continue reading →

Datacenter proposed, Irwinville, near Alapaha River 2026-02-26

7 Replies

Update 2026-02-17: Datacenter water use and Irwin County Planning Commission and Industrial Authority @ WALB TV 2026-02-16.

Update 2026-02-17: Sen. Carden Summers tries to amend to weaken GA SB 34 that would require datacenters to pay their own electric bills @ GA Sen. Comm. on Regulated Industries and Utilities 2026-02-12.

Update 2026-02-16: So-called AI hallucinates no matter how good its training data –OpenAI 2025-09-18.

Apparently the Planning Commission meeting on Thursday, February 26, at 6 PM, has been moved to the Courthouse. If so, that indicates much interest in this case.

I’m told this datacenter would be for Google, but it doesn’t really matter which big company wants it.

[Datacenter proposed, Irwinville, GA, near Alapaha River, Planning Commission 2026-02-26]
Datacenter proposed, Irwinville, GA, near Alapaha River, Planning Commission 2026-02-26

Datacenters for so-called AI are wasteful misuses of water that could go to agriculture and other uses, and of power that requires more power plants that use more cooling water.

The current alleged artificial intelligence (AI) and especially the current brute-force methods of implementing it will be leapfrogged by something else within a few years, just like expensive computer workstations got leapfrogged by Intel PCs and now everybody has something faster and more capable in their pocket.

https://wwals.net/?p=69238

Why waste our most irreplaceable resource, water, for this? Continue reading →