DeKalb County commissioners are considering an independent study of the environmental and health effects of data centers before deciding what happens when the county’s current development moratorium expires.
Commissioners discussed the proposal Tuesday night at Dunwoody City Hall, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.
Study would look at air, water and land
Commissioner Ted Terry introduced the proposal, which would bring in a third-party group to evaluate how large data centers affect local land, water and air, along with potential health effects.
Residents who spoke during the meeting raised concerns about water use, power demand, utility costs, noise, heat and air quality. Terry also said he wants to examine limits on project scale, buffer zones, renewable-energy requirements and restrictions on diesel generators.
No vote was taken Tuesday
The board did not approve the study Tuesday night. Instead, commissioners placed the proposal on the agenda for the next full meeting.
DeKalb’s moratorium currently blocks new data-center applications through March. Officials have not yet selected a firm to conduct the proposed study or announced how much it would cost.
The next decision is whether commissioners formally approve the independent review before the development freeze expires.
