Hi everyone,

First, thank you. Because of your support and willingness to share, we’ve gathered over 500 signatures in just 24 hours! That’s incredible, and it shows just how much our community cares.

But we can’t slow down now. The most effective petitions typically need support from about 5% of a county’s registered voters. For Okeechobee County, that means we’re aiming for at least 1,100 signatures to ensure the Board of County Commissioners takes this seriously. We’re halfway there, let’s keep the momentum going and make it clear, we say NO to the Okee-One Data Center.

 
Learn and Share

A strong movement is not just passionate, it’s informed.

I encourage you to watch and share these:

• Residents in Georgia speaking about how data centers impacted their communities
• Business Insider, “Exposing the Dark Side of America’s AI Data Center Explosion”

The more we understand, the stronger our voices become.

Take Action, Contact Our Commissioners

Petitions matter, but direct outreach matters just as much. We need to flood inboxes and phones with respectful, personal messages.

Contact all commissioners and CC the County Administrator for public record:

District 1, David Hazellief
dhazellief@okeechobeecountyfl.gov | (863) 763-6441 | (863) 610-1553

District 2, Frank DeCarlo
fdecarlo@okeechobeecountyfl.gov | (863) 763-6441 | (863) 532-9374

District 3, Bradley Goodbread
bgoodbread@okeechobeecountyfl.gov | (863) 763-6441

District 4, Terry W. Burroughs
tburroughs@okeechobeecountyfl.gov | (863) 763-6441 | (863) 532-6036

District 5, Michael Sumner
msumner@okeechobeecountyfl.gov | (863) 763-6441 | (863) 532-9006

County Administration, Deborah Manzo
dmanzo@okeechobeecountyfl.gov

Email and Phone Script, Customize It

Email:

“Hello, my name is [Name], and I am a proud resident of Okeechobee County. I am asking you to halt the IRSC Okee-One Data Center project.

This project poses serious risks to our water, our health, and our infrastructure. The proposed site is connected to the Lake Okeechobee watershed, an already stressed ecosystem. A facility of this scale could increase contamination risks, strain our aquifer, and raise utility costs for residents.

Beyond the environmental concerns, the long-term benefits to our community are limited, while the impacts, industrial noise, traffic, and strain on resources, will be permanent.

I urge you to protect our community by rejecting or relocating this project and requiring a full, independent environmental and public health assessment before moving forward.

Thank you for your time and your service.”

Phone Script, keep it short:

“Hi, my name is [Name], I’m an Okeechobee County resident. I’m calling to ask Commissioner [Name] to halt the Okee-One Data Center project. I’m concerned about impacts to our water, health, and infrastructure, and I urge you to require a full environmental review before moving forward. Thank you.”

Show Up, County Commissioner Meeting

April 9, 2026 at 9:00 AM
Okeechobee County Historic Courthouse
304 NW 2nd St, Okeechobee, FL 34972

Let’s pack the room!

To speak:

Fill out a Speaker Card before the meeting, outside Room 270
Submit it before 8:45 AM
You’ll have about 3 minutes to speak

Testimony Tips and Talking Points

Keep it short, personal, and powerful.

Structure:

• Who you are
• Your connection to Okeechobee
• Why this matters to you
• Clear ask, halt or relocate the project

Sample Testimony:

“Good morning, my name is [Name], and I’ve lived in Okeechobee County for [X years]. This community is my home.

I’m here because I’m deeply concerned about the proposed Okee-One Data Center. Our county depends on clean water, and this project would sit in a sensitive watershed connected to Lake Okeechobee. We’re already dealing with pollution and algal blooms, this could make things worse.

I’m also concerned about the strain on our water supply, rising utility costs, and the health impacts from diesel emissions.

We are not against growth, but this project puts too much at risk for too little return. I’m asking you to halt or relocate this project and require a full independent impact assessment.

Please protect our community.”

Key Talking Points:

• Threat to Lake Okeechobee watershed and Everglades ecosystem
• High water use, strain on aquifer and higher costs
• Energy demand, increased electricity rates
• Diesel emissions, asthma and health risks
• Limited long-term jobs versus permanent impacts
• Loss of rural character and quality of life

Why This Matters

This is not just another development. It is a direct and preventable threat to our water, our health, our infrastructure, and our way of life.

Communities across the country are already pushing back after experiencing these impacts firsthand. The pattern is clear, the benefits go outward, while the costs stay local.

Okeechobee is not the right place for industrial-scale data infrastructure.

Final Thoughts

I am so proud of this community. We are small, but we are powerful, and we are showing up!

During my time at Yale, I co-taught advocacy and activism and studied organizing and winning environmental campaigns, and I am incredibly grateful to be able to bring those skills home to help protect our community.

We may not win everything overnight, but we can secure a pause, build awareness, and organize for what comes next.

I’ll also be reaching out to local media to keep growing this movement. Please continue sharing far and wide.

Onward,

Wyatt