"So nature does indeed need protection from man, but man, too, needs protection from his own acts, for he is part of the living world. His war against nature is inevitably a war against himself. His heedless and destructive acts enter into the vast cycles of the earth, and in time return to him." Rachel Carson
Dear Commissioners;
I am sorry I cannot attend this meeting in person; my cloning machine is still on the "fritz," and I have another meeting at the same hour.
Please accept this message as my opposition to building a data center in Orange County and support a one-year moratorium on any approvals related to this issue. A pause is necessary to allow time for a full review of the potential impacts on our community, including energy use, water consumption, noise, traffic, environmental effects, and strain on local infrastructure.
Orange County residents deserve transparency, meaningful public input, and careful planning before decisions of this scale are made. A one-year moratorium would give county leaders the opportunity to study long-term consequences, evaluate zoning and land-use policies, and ensure that any future development reflects the values and priorities of our community.
Tomorrow is Earth Day, a national recognition from a time when, as a nation, we viewed protecting the one home we have as essential, not just for survival but for civilization to thrive. The policy actions at the national and state levels suggest we have abandoned many of the concerns that were embraced by the environmental movement. It is now up to our local leaders who are closest to our concerns and understand that we must balance development with the long-term impacts that this scale of change can bring.
Growth should be thoughtful and responsible—not rushed. I urge our elected officials to support a one-year moratorium on data center projects in Orange County.
Please feel free to read this into the record for tonight's public meeting and vote.
Forward with You!
Diane Robertson
405 Waterside Drive
Carrboro, NC 27510
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"Make a career of humanity. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a better person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in."
Martin Luther King, Jr, April 18, 1959