Public Hearings Planned on Data Centers
The St. Charles County Department of Public Health is planning to host two public hearings on data centers, after the County Council passed a six-month moratorium on large-scale data centers to allow time for further study.
No data center projects are pending before the council, but County leaders want to hear from experts about the pros and cons of data centers before a proposal emerges.
Organizers say the first of the hearings, planned for later this fall, would identify the issues surrounding data centers with testimony from experts in the fields of electrical grids, water usage and environmental impact.
The second hearing, also this fall, would feature an opportunity for the public to speak their opinions on data centers. Written public comment would also be taken.
The goal is to arrive at zoning rules that would apply to future data center proposals.
“Right now, I don't know enough about data centers to ever approve one,” says County Executive Steve Ehlmann. “But at the same time, I don't know enough about data centers to ban them altogether.”
Opponents of data centers have raised concerns about the potential for water pollution, noise pollution, and increased utility prices for consumers because the large amounts of electricity and water needed to operate a data center.
“It’s not just those things,” Ehlmann says. “A lot of people right now are very concerned about what data centers will be used for. People are very concerned about AI and about losing jobs. Other people think it's actually going to help the economy.
“This is a very emotional issue right now,” Ehlmann says. “It's challenging when you've got to make an important decision with that much emotion out there. Hopefully we can study it now, without any proposals pending, and start looking at this reasonably.”
Times and locations for the hearings will be posted on sccmo.org and County social media once they are set.
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