Over 1,000 signatures have been collected in opposition to a proposed Lowndes County data center, with residents intent on raising concerns about what could be the largest industrial project in the county's history at an upcoming county commission meeting.
The 800-acre project, called Project Red Clay, is spearheaded by the Houston, Texas-based developer Cloverleaf Infrastructure. The project is slated to carry a $1 billion price tag. The project is being painted as an economic boon for the area and its residents. However, like with many such communities across the nation, residents are expressing concern.
Though the project is in its infancy, residents have raised objections to potential environmental impacts, effects on the area's infrastructure and rising energy costs.
A website called 45 Strong, which started in opposition to the project, claims that while Cloverleaf does not build, own or operate data centers, it will eventually hand them over to an unnamed hyperscaler. It acknowledges that Cloverleaf has not yet officially requested a tax abatement.
"Cloverleaf has not publicly identified the operator-tenant, and would not be the owner long-term in any case," the site reads. "Their pattern in Port Washington, Wisconsin, was to assemble the land and then hand the project to Vantage Data Centers for an $8 billion campus build. Whatever Cloverleaf promises, Lowndes will be inherited — or not — by whichever hyperscaler eventually owns the asset."
The coalition is currently making five demands before the county commission moves forward on the project:
- Public disclosure of the operator or tenant.
- A disclosure of the gallons-per-day water use with third-party verification.
- Megawatt and ratepayer-protection escrow.
- An education-tax carve-out;
- A tenant-binding community-benefits agreement that survives the sale of the asset.
"Cloverleaf can answer none of the five demands today," the 45 Strong site continues. "They have not named the tenant. They have not put gallons per day on paper. They have not filed for ratepayer protection at the Public Service Commission. They have not agreed to carve out the education millage. They have not agreed to a tenant-binding community-benefits agreement. The County Commission is being asked to lock in 30 years of tax abatement before any of those questions has an answer. The single sentence is: 'We are not against investment. We are against bad deals.'"
Those opposed to the project are assembling signatures and planning to show up in force at a Tuesday meeting of the County Commission. The petition has collected nearly 1,100 signatures.
"The tranquil communities of Lowndes County and Hope Hull are under threat from the encroachment of large corporations looking to exploit these areas for profit," the petition reads. "This development threatens to disrupt our local ecosystems, undermine the cultural heritage, and negatively impact the quality of life for residents who cherish the peace and environmental beauty of these regions."
"Lowndes County and Hope Hull are rich in history and natural resources. They are home to diverse wildlife and serve as a haven for families who have lived here for generations. The local economy is heavily reliant on small businesses and agriculture, which could suffer greatly from the looming presence of industrial giants."
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