Environment

Urged the board to pass a strong, loophole-free data center moratorium to protect local water, air, and land from toxic environmental impacts.

Urged the board to implement a county-wide data center moratorium to prevent massive energy demands from driving up power bills and expanding fossil fuel power plants.

Spoke on behalf of the Sunrise Movement, encouraging innovative problem-solving and strict regulations on data center cooling, water usage, and chemical emissions.

Raised concerns about draft moratorium exemptions and urged the board to require special use permits and public hearings instead of allowing exemptions for backup generation.

Shared a list of numerous community organizations supporting a robust data center moratorium to prioritize community health over corporate profits.

Urged commissioners to pass a data center moratorium without loopholes to protect shared ecosystems and prioritize community well-being.

Expressed support for a one-year moratorium without carve-outs to allow time for well-researched regulations on data center greenhouse gas emissions and resource use.

Called for a county and statewide moratorium on big data centers to protect natural resources, water tables, and cybersecurity.

Emphasized the need for a complete moratorium with no carve-outs to evaluate water usage, respiratory illness risks, and PFAS disposal responsibilities.

Argued against mega AI data centers given existing water shortages and resource constraints in the community.

Supported a longer-term moratorium due to severe drought conditions and the heavy water and energy impacts of mega data centers.

Expressed support for a strong data center moratorium on behalf of the North Carolina Black Alliance to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution.

Expressed strong support for the moratorium, citing personal experiences with climate disasters and the ongoing drought in western North Carolina.