DeKalb County extends data center moratorium amid public health concerns

Stock photo Credit Adobe Stock Adobe The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners voted on Dec to continue a pause on building new evidence centers in the county until June a decision prompted by public concerns about the general medical and environmental impact of such centers The board unanimously approved a substitute motion introduced by District Commissioner LaDena Bolton to extend a moratorium until June blocking new licenses or permits for records centers until that date according to Miranda Rupkey district chief of staff for Super District By extending the moratorium which was set to expire Tuesday commissioners agreed to delay any new records center progress while they consider manageable regulations in unincorporated DeKalb County Terry made a motion for a -month moratorium on the information centers to allow time for an independent environmental and society physical condition evaluation to be conducted That motion failed by a - vote In a town hall last week Terry heard several residents share their crystal-clear fears about how building information centers within feet of their homes could disrupt their neighborhoods and lead to long-term environmental issues In other communities across the country information centers diesel generators have increased fossil-fuel generation leading to impacts on utility bills stormwater runoff and their drinking water Residents are worried about noise near homes parks and trails Terry explained in the meeting They are worried about grid reliability and whether massive vigor users will strain neighborhood power systems And they are worried about equity about whether communities that have historically hosted landfills and heavy industrial uses are once again being required to absorb the impacts of yet another speculative improvement with adverse outcomes There are no plans to fund an environmental review ahead of the ending date of the moratorium Terry requested the longer extension in hopes that the fiscal year budget could allocate as much as toward an independent review on future details centers impacts on environmental and inhabitants vitality This funding would ensure the work is thorough transparent and insulated from developer influence Terry declared A -month extension provides the runway to do this right It builds constituents trust It protects the county legally and ethically This moratorium is not about avoiding decisions it is about making better decisions Commissioners will hold a masses hearing on Jan to review the application of the Director of Planning and Sustainability to amend Chapter which will establish a definition regulatory guidelines and growth standards for statistics centers The post DeKalb County extends content center moratorium amid community physical condition concerns appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta