I am a native of New Orleans and a longtime resident of New Orleans East. Our community is facing a serious threat, as the newly elected mayor is allowing a proposal to develop a data center in our residential neighborhood without adequate notification or discussion with the residents. The proposal involves building a data center across from residential homes, which requires rezoning the area from residential to commercial—an issue that has been thrust upon us without proper transparency or consultation.

Data centers, as research has indicated, can be environmentally harmful. They consume enormous amounts of electricity, leading to increased pollution and potential blackouts. Furthermore, they often produce significant noise and heat, which can negatively impact the quality of life for those living nearby. For communities like ours, struggling with environmental inequities and often neglected by city-wide initiatives, introducing a data center would compound these issues.

The decision to possibly rezone our area has been made behind closed doors, with letters sent only to residents immediately facing the potential site, excluding the wider New Orleans East community. This lack of transparency is unacceptable. The voices of all the residents should matter, and we deserve to have a say in developments that directly affect our lives and environment.

This is not just an issue of land use but a question of community justice and our right to a safe, healthy environment. We urge the city officials to halt any further actions on the rezoning and development of this data center until a full, public consultation has been conducted, involving the entire community of New Orleans East.

Join me in demanding accountability and transparency from our city leaders. Let us protect our home, community, and environment by signing this petition today!