To:  

The Jackson County Board of County Commissioners, Florida

Attn:  

Dr. Willie Spires, District 1  

Edward Crutchfield, District 2  

Paul Donofro Jr., District 3  

Donnie Branch, District 4  

Jamey Westbrook, District 5  

CC: Jim Dean, Incoming County Administrator

RE: Petition Requesting a Moratorium on the Construction, Approval, or Consideration of Large Scale Data Center Facilities in Jackson County, Florida

We, the undersigned residents, property owners, taxpayers, and concerned citizens of Jackson County, Florida, respectfully petition the Jackson County Board of County Commissioners to immediately enact a moratorium of no less than TEN (10) years on the approval, permitting, negotiation, consideration, rezoning, incentivizing, or construction of any new “large scale data center” facility or facilities as defined below within Jackson County, that can be classified as Traditional, Cloud, Colocation, AI, Hyperscale, or Campus data centers which typically measure between 1 to 1,000 or greater MW, of usage/capacity that focus on advancement of Artificial Intelligence, Surveillance and/or Automation and that could pose risk or impact to those items listed herein. These sites that are Traditional, Cloud facilities ranging from 1 to 10 MW. Colocation facilities ranging from 10 to 50 MW. Hyperscale facilities are massive, ranging from 50 to 100 MW or more, and Al-specific campuses can demand up to or greater than 1, 000 MW of intended capacity.

This requested moratorium is necessary to allow adequate time for the County and its citizens to fully understand and evaluate the long-term impacts these facilities may have on our community, economy, infrastructure, natural resources, agricultural lands, water supply, public utilities, and quality of life.

WHEREAS:

1. Large Scale Data centers are known to consume substantial amounts of electricity and water resources, potentially placing significant strain on rural utility systems and groundwater supplies;

2. Jackson County possesses sensitive environmental resources, agricultural lands, springs, rivers, wetlands, forests, and aquifer systems that may be adversely impacted by large-scale industrial and technological developments;

3. Large Scale Data center operations can generate substantial noise pollution, heat emissions, light pollution, diesel generator emissions, and increased industrial traffic that may negatively affect nearby residential and rural communities;

4. The long-term environmental, economic, and public health consequences associated with large scale data center development in rural communities are still being studied nationwide and remain insufficiently understood;

5. Jackson County residents deserve a transparent public process and sufficient time to review independent studies regarding the cumulative impacts such facilities may have on local infrastructure, emergency services, energy reliability, land values, environmental sustainability, and community character;

6. Once approved and constructed, large-scale industrial facilities such as data centers may permanently alter the rural and agricultural identity of Jackson County;

7. A precautionary approach is warranted to ensure that future generations are not burdened with unintended environmental degradation, infrastructure costs, or depletion of natural resources.

THEREFORE, WE PETITION THE JACKSON COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO:

1. Enact an immediate moratorium lasting no less than TEN (10) years on:

   - The approval or issuance of permits for large scale data center facilities;

   - The acceptance or entertainment of proposals, negotiations, or offers related to data center construction;

   - Any rezoning, land-use amendments, tax incentives, utility agreements, or development orders intended to facilitate large scale data center development in Jackson County.

2. Commission independent environmental, infrastructure, water resource, energy consumption, and economic impact studies related to large scale data center development prior to considering any future proposals.

3. Conduct public hearings and ensure meaningful community participation before any future reconsideration of such developments.

4. Preserve and protect the rural character, environmental integrity, agricultural economy, and natural resources of Jackson County for present and future residents.

We respectfully urge the Board to place the protection of Jackson County’s citizens, land, water, and future ahead of speculative industrial development whose long-term impacts remain uncertain.

Submitted respectfully by the undersigned citizens of Jackson County, Florida.