Sierra Club Florida: Stop Hyperscale
Data Center Expansion in Florida

Sierra Club Florida supports local community efforts to “hit pause” on hyperscale data centers by local governments. August 13, 2026, Sierra Club Florida committed to strengthen the efforts of residents and community organizations facing the growing threats and impacts of hyperscale data center development around the state. These data centers present more extreme environmental concerns than traditional facilities due to their large size and higher resource demands that result in extreme strain on energy grids, massive water consumption, wildlife habitat destruction, and severe noise pollution. Despite taking up vast amounts of land and receiving major state tax breaks, completed data center warehouses also employ very few permanent workers, offering little to no long-term economic benefit to local communities.

Brooke Alexander-Goss, Sierra Club Florida Organizing Manager, said, “Our communities need access to clear, reliable information and practical resources to address the impacts of AI-data center expansion around Florida. Sierra Club Florida’s new citizens’ toolkit will help empower residents to advocate for protections for the environment and the well-being of their communities."

Javier Estevez, Sierra Club Florida Political and Legislative Director, said, “Florida has a key opportunity to learn from residents across the country who have already experienced the impacts of hyperscale data centers and address those risks before they happen here. While the Legislature took the first step this session in addressing increased costs, we must do more to protect Floridians from the other impacts associated with AI-data centers, including dangers to public health and the environment. Sierra Club Florida is committed to helping residents understand these proposals, engage with local officials, and prepare their communities to meet the challenges ahead.”

Robin Orlandi, Sierra Club Adventure Coast Group Citrus Conservation Committee Co-chair, said, “Citrus County residents showed what communities can accomplish when they come together to protect their water, environment, and quality of life. More than 200 residents turned out for a nearly nine-hour public hearing, and the county ultimately voted unanimously to deny the proposed data center application. This victory demonstrates the power of informed, organizing community advocacy, but the fight is far from over. As counties around Florida develop new protections against data center proposals, continued education and engagement will be essential.”

Sierra Club Florida opposes poorly planned hyperscale facilities based on the energy, climate, water and ecosystem impacts. Hyperscale Data Centers are extremely large, resource intensive facilities designed to support cloud computing and artificial intelligence. Facilities are 100,000 to over 1,000,000 square feet, some spanning multiple millions of square feet for 5,000 to hundreds of thousands of servers, including dense GPU clusters for AI.  They use from 100 to more than 500 megawatts of electricity, consume enormous amounts of electricity and water, and generate noise and air pollution from industrial cooling systems and diesel backup generators.

What's at Stake: In recent months, it has become clear that local governments aren’t prepared for the rapid arrival of these types of facilities; there also aren’t any regulations in place for them. 
Extreme Strain on Energy Grids: A single large AI data center can consume as much electricity as 50,000 households. To support this massive demand, electric companies must upgrade infrastructure, which often drives up electricity rates for local residents.
Massive Water Consumption: Data centers require up to 5 million gallons of water a day for cooling systems to keep server racks from overheating. They often consume water directly from local drinking and municipal water sources, worsening water scarcity in vulnerable areas.
Public Health and Noise Pollution: A data center’s industrial cooling fans and HVAC systems run continuously, creating a permanent high-decibel drone that disrupts sleep and increases stress for residents, drives homeowners away, and decreases local property values.
Minimal Economic Benefit: Despite use of vast amounts of land and receiving major state tax breaks, completed data center warehouses employ very few permanent workers.

Sierra Club Florida Requirements for responsible development include 100% renewable energy standards, water and cooling standards, community protections from noise and infrastructure needs, location and site principles to prioritize already disturbed or developed sites, and resource responsibility on the use of water and electricity produced onsite or purchased locally. Hyperscale data centers can support technology innovation, but only if planned responsibly. Florida communities should not bear the environmental or financial costs of poorly designed facilities. 

Take Action: Together, we can push back against data centers in our communities. Sign up for updates, support our work, follow us on social media, and check out our toolkit at sierraclub.org/florida/datacenters for information, resources, and materials to join us in this fight!

The first draft for public comment of the new Citrus County Data Center Ordinance Amendment will be released in early September, with a public feedback form available online, followed by a public Board of County Commissioners workshop before the final draft is scheduled for review before the Planning and Development Commission. Contact us at sierraclubadventurecoastcc@gmail.com.

Citrus Conservation: Betz
Farm BOCC Hearing Oct. 13

The Citrus County Planning and Development Commission (PDC) met Aug. 20 th and recommended denial of a revised plan for the 348-acre Betz Farm property. Two days earlier, the applicant had filed for a 60-day continuance, then withdrew it as the meeting began. This resulted in many local residents opposed to the development missing the meeting and not having an the opportunity for public comment, because they were led to believe the application hearing would not take place.

The revised plan called for fewer homes, smaller lots, private roads and another 20 years to complete the project. Density changed from 1,542 homes to 1,466 – 1,138 single-family homes and 328 townhomes. Speakers unanimously opposed the revision based on congestion from possibly 3,000 new vehicles on an already busy road and existing flood zones. 

Sierra Club Citrus Conservation Co-Chair Robin Orlandi attended the hearing to oppose it, noting that the site occupies the priority focus area for recharge to the Kings Bay springs group as identified by FDEP. Extensive wetlands, cypress swamp, and three sinkholes occupy the heavily forested site. Mass site grading will be required to install stormwater infrastructure to provide drainage, and berms to contain wetlands. Previous attempts to develop Betz Farm by stormwater engineering experts for Stephen Tamposi failed. In 2003 he traded the land to the county in exchange for impact fee credits, and suggested it be used for conservation. The county still owns this site, despite the current purchase agreement with Bravo/Ardurra, conditioned on state permitting.

At the hearing, PDC member Richard Barmes moved to postpone the hearing but it was denied. Then he and other commissioners voted against the application he called “a half-hearted conceptual plan.” Board members agreed and objected to the intensity of homes and impacts to surrounding wetlands. PDC member Stuart Bozeman hopes the county will keep the property as a park or preserve. In addition, the plan as presented did not meet the requirements of the county comprehensive plan. Bravo requested the continuance following the Aug. 14th ruling in Pine Ridge Property Owners Association vs. Citrus County where the circuit court found a deficiency in the county’s Land Development Code involving the procedure for amending a Development of Regional Impact through the county’s PUD process, the same process being pursued for Betz Farm.

The item is on the Oct. 13 County Commission agenda for a final vote. Plan to be there.