FW: Columbus Ledger: Troup County passes data center moratorium

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From: Mark Woodall <woodal...@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2025 6:37 AM
Subject: Columbus Ledger: Troup County passes data center moratorium

 

OUR PLANET Troup County is pressing pause on data centers. Could the stop be permanent? 

 

By Kala Hunter Updated September 17, 2025 9:47 PM 

 Just 10 days after environmental scientists and policy experts raised alarm about data centers at an event in LaGrange, the Troup County Board of Commissioners voted in favor of a 90-day data center moratorium. Troup County Commission’s Tuesday meeting included a resolution to pause all applications relating to establishing, developing or expanding data centers within unincorporated Troup County. Troup County’s local government is the latest of several around Georgia to create moratoriums or ordinances surrounding data center development. Douglas, Coweta, South Fulton and Clayton are some of the counties that have acted to halt new developments. 

 

County Commissioner James Thrailkill issued a motion for the ordinance. He told the Ledger-Enquirer he’s heard about issues with data centers around Georgia and people have approached him locally to raise concern. Environmental advocates have raised concerns repeatedly about data centers using the same amount of water and energy as car manufacturing factories and, at the same time, bringing in few jobs while causing lots of noise and light pollution. “There isn’t a lot of knowledge about (data centers),” he said. The pause “gives (our staff) 90 days to have a better understanding about whether the amount of water, noise and electricity are true or fiction.”

 

 Troup County Commissioner James Thrailkill Troup County Gage Bailey, who is leading the efforts to keep data centers out of LaGrange and Troup County, said he and a group of volunteers emailed and called commissioners multiple times to get them to pass a moratorium. Bailey said he was thrilled when he heard they passed it. “I’m incredibly happy,” he said. “This is what we’ve wanted for a while. We have been constantly calling and sending emails to their offices. It is definitely a big first step, and we’re hoping this will turn into something more for the city of LaGrange.” 

 

   LaGrange is set to be home to an $8 billion data center known as Project Pegasus, which will not be affected by this moratorium. Bailey’s concerns crept up after learning about Project Pegasus’ water and energy footprint this summer. He said he also heard talks of more data centers coming to town. Bailey initiated a town hall on the topic two weeks ago, which had over 200 people listening and asking questions about what they can do to prevent LaGrange from being susceptible to having a concerning number of these facilities. The 90-day moratorium does not cover LaGrange, Hogansville or West Point, assistant county manager Jay Anderson said. 

 

Troup County has needed to update its zoning ordinance on several different topics. During the morning board meeting Tuesday, commissioners suggested adding a data center ordinance while the wording is being updated for other issues. “I think it just gives time for the board of commissioners to get educated on the data processing plant because this one came up and ... it would be good for us to get educated on it,” Commissioner James Morris said. An ordinance could come next, making it permanent. There will be a public hearing when the commissioners are ready to present an ordinance at a future meeting. “Jurisdictions put a moratorium so staff can do research and create an ordinance that helps regulate them and mitigate any negative effects,” Anderson said. Bailey said his efforts and the volunteers in his group will keep pressing LaGrange for a moratorium or ordinance as well. 

 

This story was originally published September 17, 2025 at 5:14 PM. Kala Hunter Columbus Ledger-Enquirer 505-715-8987 Kala Hunter is a reporter covering climate change and environmental news in Columbus and throughout the state of Georgia. She has her master’s of science in journalism from Northwestern, Medill School of Journalism. She has her bachelor’s in environmental studies from Fort Lewis College in Colorado. She’s worked in green infrastructure in California and Nevada. Her work appears in the Bulletin of Atomic Science, Chicago Health Magazine, and Illinois Latino News Network.

Read more at: https://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/environment/article312150132.html#storylink=cpy