EDIT 1:  Because we hold ourselves to the same standard we're asking of the county.

We've updated one line in this petition. An earlier version referenced Rayonier as owning significant timberland in Clay County; in fact, Rayonier's major holdings are in Nassau County, while the largest timberland parcel in Clay County — roughly 15,500 acres — is owned by the Reinhold Trust. The core point is unchanged: large institutional landowners hold significant acreage across our region, it's being actively scouted for data center development, and JEA has confirmed multiple large-load inquiries. We just believe every name and number we put in front of you should be exact. If we ever get a detail wrong, we'll say so — out loud, like this.

Integrity first. Service before self. Excellence in all we do.

Data center developers are actively scouting land in Clay County and the greater Jacksonville area. JEA has publicly confirmed it has received multiple large-load inquiries from data center developers within its service territory.

 Large institutional landowners hold significant timberland acreage across northeast Florida, and timber companies in the region have publicly discussed development with multiple local governments. In Clay County specifically, the largest such holding — roughly 15,500 acres — is owned by the Reinhold Trust."Florida's SB 484, signed into law May 7, 2026, allows developers a legally protected 12-month confidentiality window — meaning negotiations can be finalized in secret before residents are ever notified.

A single hyperscale data center can draw 200 to 500 megawatts of power — representing up to 50% of Clay Electric's entire current peak load. These same facilities can consume millions of gallons of water per day drawn directly from the Floridan Aquifer — the same aquifer that feeds the private wells of rural Middleburg and Clay County residents.

Nassau County residents demanded a moratorium and got one. Camden County Georgia residents killed a 700-acre proposal by showing up. Clay County residents deserve the same opportunity — before the deal is done, not after.

We the undersigned Clay County residents demand the following from the Clay County Board of County Commissioners, Clay Electric Cooperative, and all relevant local authorities:

An immediate moratorium on data center development approvals in Clay County until proper public review processes are established.

Mandatory public hearings before any data center related zoning change, pre-application approval, land use change, or development agreement is finalized.

Enforceable standards — written into any development agreement — requiring verified closed-loop water recycling systems, self-generated power capacity, and full grid impact assessments paid for by the developer before any permit is issued.

A public notification requirement obligating Clay County and Clay Electric to immediately inform residents when any formal or informal data center development inquiry is received.

This is not anti-technology. This is pro-transparency, pro-accountability, and pro-Clay County. Residents deserve a seat at the table before decisions are made that affect their water, their power grid, and their community for decades.

Thank you for standing with us. The fight continues —

📅 TUESDAY, JUNE 23 — 4:00 PM

Clay County Administration Building, 477 Houston Street, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043

Integrity first. Service before self. Excellence in all we do.