More than 2,200 acres of Osceola County ranch land could become a massive data center. Commercial real estate firm CBRE is marketing a site off Canoe Creek Road for a "hyperscale data center," according to Spectrum News. The listing promises Duke Energy power by early 2028 and "significant water resources permitted." The Osceola County Board of County Commissioners has the final say, and residents are asking commissioners to reject this project.

Water is the biggest concern. The listing highlights the site's water permits, but the public has not been told how much water the project could use or where it would come from. Aaron Mick, owner of nearby Mick Farms, told Spectrum News that many people in the area are worried about water quality and pollution.

The land itself is at stake too. The Canoe Creek Road area has long been known for cattle ranches, pastures and wildlife. Angelo Chiarelli, a lifelong resident and conservation photographer, has watched open space vanish at a startling pace. "One week, you could drive by a lot that's full of trees, and the next it's gone," Chiarelli told Spectrum News. Mick said a drive from Kissimmee to St. Cloud that once took 20 minutes can now take an hour.

Families should not pay for this project either. Florida State Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith pointed out that state law says the risk of unpaid data center costs may not be passed on to regular ratepayers. A new state law, Senate Bill 484, also confirms that local governments control planning decisions for these large power users.

That means Osceola County commissioners can stop this. They should reject the data center, and no vote should happen without public hearings and full disclosure of its water use, energy demands and environmental impact.

Sign the petition to tell Osceola County commissioners to reject the Canoe Creek Road data center before this water and ranch land are gone for good.