Florence leaders say their residents are concerned about the prospect of a data center development. Having opened up some land for industrial development, the Pinal County town is seeking expert advice beforehand.
The town is currently accepting applications for a data center ad hoc committee. The body will not have any governing authority, but will recommend strategies to the zoning commission, mayor and town council on partnerships for the developments.
Jeff Graves, Florence’s communications and intergovernmental relations manager, says the committee is “part of our due diligence for the community.”
“We want to ensure that we’re taking our residents’ concerns seriously, that we’re getting the right experts at the table, and we’re understanding what can realistically be done to address or mitigate potential impacts,” Graves said.
Graves says they’re looking for water and power experts to keep town leaders informed on how the developments are evolving across the state.
“Data centers are a fast-moving issue,” he said. “The technology is changing quickly, and our residents have significant concerns when it comes to water use, noise, power and other long-term impacts.”
The town is expecting applications until late July and hopes to recommend members to the council sometime in August. Graves says the committee will hold public meetings every month.
-
One year after it rejected Project Blue amid massive outcry from the community, the Tucson City Council has adopted new regulations for large scale data center developments. -
This decision comes after an internal audit revealed potential misuse of the software by a department employee. -
Court records show that Jeremie Sowerby pleaded guilty to wire fraud and he is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court on Oct. 14. -
Coal-fired power generation jumped 13% in the U.S. last year, according to a recent report from the federal Energy Information Administration. That helped push carbon emissions from the power sector up about 4% — the first rise after years of declining emissions. -
Residents were unanimous in their call for a ban on data centers, but city staff say that would likely be prohibited under state law.
