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Article by Olivia Lupia, Tennessee Conservative News –
Shelby County Commissioners took the first vote on a proposed 12-month moratorium on data center development in unincorporated areas of the county, though the approval was only by a one vote margin and several commissioners abstained.
The moratorium is intended to provide county leaders time to work with Memphis City Council on further regulations for the rapidly growing industry.
“We need to pause it, pause everything right not, because there are no regulations, there are no guardrails. It’s the Wild West. So we need to find a way to put some guardrails around if, if you will, so we do not harm humanity,” said Commissioner Henri Brooks previously.
Commissioners voted five to four, with four abstentions, to advance the proposal to the next reading which is scheduled for Oct. 21. And one commissioner also announced plans to introduce an alternative ordinance at the next meeting on the 21st.
Earlier in the month, Memphis Mayor Paul Young issued an executive order for a 90-day study to “develop clear, actionable recommendations for regulating large and hyperscale data centers in Memphis.”
Experts appointed by the mayor and overseen by the city’s chief operating officer will create the guardrail recommendations to present to the city council and other stakeholders.
“We need to keep the pressure high and make sure that we get the guardrails in place that we need for our community to feel protected,” said Young. “There’s a role for all of our agencies to play in ensuring we put the proper guardrails in place. The thing that I want to make sure is that we do it expeditiously.”
Young’s order comes as the Memphis City Council is weighing their own temporary moratorium and new zoning regulations for data centers. The vote has been delayed several times already, a move which resulted in outbursts by an unruly audience and State Representative Justin Pearson being banned from the next two meetings.
The Council is set for a final vote on Oct. 20, but nothing is certain.
Sources:
WREG.
WREG.
WREG.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
