ATLANTA — Today, the Sierra Club Georgia Chapter is calling for a statewide halt in data center construction. Georgia now leads the nation in construction of these massive, power-intensive facilities, and it has become more and more evident that our state does not have adequate regulations in place to properly handle the impacts of data centers.
Data centers’ enormous energy and water requirements and the pollution they bring with them — from sediment in our waterways to air pollution from on-site diesel generators to increased noise and light pollution — are having serious effects on our communities.
“The hyperscale data center coming to Fayetteville should be a wake-up call for Georgia,” said Diana Dietz, a community advocate from Fayette County. “Once land is cleared, wildlife habitat is lost, industrial infrastructure construction begins, and a community’s future is committed to a data center campus, it’s too late to ask whether we got the deal right. I’ve spent years researching these developments and talking with citizens who are often stunned to learn what is happening in their own backyard. Georgia must pause new data center construction until enforceable protections are in place. Our communities should not have to learn the hard way what happens when development moves faster than public understanding and elected officials’ accountability.”
Georgia Power and Big Tech are raking in record profits from the rapid growth of data centers thanks to state tax breaks and favorable electricity rates at a time when Georgians are struggling to pay their power bills, which have risen by more than $500 annually for average households.
Thanks to the inaction of state leaders, local governments have been left to fend for themselves. Experts tracking the issue have found that more than 50 cities and counties have imposed local data center moratoriums, while others have attempted to establish their own regulations to safeguard their communities.
“A patchwork of laws and regulations governing data centers is not sustainable – we need statewide action to make sure Georgians are protected,” said Sierra Club Georgia Chapter Director Adrien Webber. “A moratorium would give state leaders time to pass laws and regulations to require data centers pay the costs to power them, make sure they aren’t polluting our air and water, and provide common sense oversight. As early voting is underway, Georgia voters should consider which candidates on their ballot are committed to addressing this issue.”
Sierra Club Georgia Chapter leaders have worked with experts, both inside our organization and externally, to propose a series of issues that must be addressed before the data center moratorium can be lifted. Click here for more information about our policy proposals.
About the Sierra Club Georgia Chapter
The Sierra Club Georgia Chapter is the largest grassroots environmental organization in the state, with more than 75,000 members and supporters. The Chapter supports a robust outings program and has active committees working on forest and coastal protection, transit expansion, and clean energy. For more information, visit sierraclub.org/georgia.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit sierraclub.org.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Ricky Leroux, Communications Strategist
470-719-4512 | ricky.leroux@sierraclub.org
Andy Li, Associate Press Secretary
andy.li@sierraclub.org