Tag Archives: Datacenter

Irwinville Data Center Withdrawn by Applicant, Irwin County Commission 2026-03-02

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.

https://wwals.net/?p=69663

[Irwinville Data Center, Withdrawn by Applicant 2026-03-02, Irwin County Commission, and Developments of Regional Impact (DRI)]
Irwinville Data Center, Withdrawn by Applicant 2026-03-02, Irwin County Commission, and Developments of Regional Impact (DRI)

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 →

Call about developer and datacenter give-away bill GA SB 447 2026-03-17

If datacenters are so great, why did their proponents first gut GA SB 34, which would have prohibited datacenters from passing on electric bills to other ratepayers?

And why now are they trying to pass SB 447, which would distort local permitting processes to favor datacenters and developers in general?

Please ask your Georgia statehouse delegation to vote NO on GA SB 447.

SB 447 will be heard this Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in a subcommittee of the Georgia House Natural Resources and Environment (HNRE) Committee.

It may get voted on there, and then in the full Committee on Thursday.

[Call about datacenter and developer give-away, GA SB 447, in HNRE Tuesday 2026-03-17]
Call about datacenter and developer give-away, GA SB 447

You can find your Georgia House members here:

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

Or type in your ZIP code here:

http://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/ Continue reading →

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 →