We, the residents of Pike County, Indiana (the County), respectfully ask that our County Commissioners, County Council Members, County Redevelopment Commission, County Economic Development Corporation, and any other interested parties enact a ban on all current and/or future data center developments within the County. At the very least, we urge local authorities to impose a moratorium on data center development and conduct a comprehensive analysis of their potential impacts. The citizens of the County would like to express their concern regarding the potential impacts of a data center.

Some of the impacts and concerns include:

• Electricity Usage:
  • Data centers consume massive amounts of electricity, leading to higher utility costs that burden County citizens.
  • Current projections indicate that energy use by data centers in the United States will surge by approximately 133% by 2030.

• Water Usage:
  • On average, a single data center can use hundreds of thousands of gallons of water each day for cooling, straining our reserves and potentially leading to shortages.
  • This would be detrimental not just to individual households, but to our entire agricultural community, which relies on water for farming.

• Job Creation:
  • While our elected leaders may argue that data centers bring jobs and economic development, the reality is often quite the opposite after construction is complete.
  • As we have seen with solar, the majority of the construction jobs will be outsourced to workers from other areas and states.
  • The jobs created are usually small in number and require technical skills that may not be readily available in the local labor force, leading to outsourcing or the use of remote workers.

• Economic Impact:
  • The long-term economic impacts can be negative due to increased utility costs and potential declines in property values from environmental degradation.
  • The large footprint of data centers can deter future development opportunities that might be more sustainable and beneficial for the community.

• Tax Incentives:
  • Tax incentives often given to such corporations might drain rather than contribute to the local economy, depriving us of much-needed funding for our school system and infrastructure.

• Pollution, Environmental, and Residential Impacts:
  • These centers will drastically alter the rural landscape.
  • Increased noise, light, and environmental pollution will disrupt the lives of local residents and animals. 

It is our belief that the County Commissioners, County Council Members, County Redevelopment Commission, County Economic Development Corporation, and any other interested parties should focus on attracting businesses that integrate with our County, creating jobs that genuinely benefit residents and contribute to the local economy without compromising our environment, our utilities, or our way of life.

The local government should prioritize sustainable development and seek alternative ways to boost the economy without compromising our natural resources or quality of life. Implementing stricter regulations on data center construction and exploring other economic opportunities could be vital steps towards a more sustainable future.