Officials say no project is planned but stress importance of education on the issue
By Becky Holland
The Ledger
Questions and concerns about a potential data center in Bleckley and Dodge counties have been circulating among residents in recent weeks, prompting local officials to clarify what they say is — and is not — happening.
Robert Pruitt, chairman of the Dodge-Bleckley Joint Development Authority, and Bleckley County Commissioner Mike Davis both say that at this time there has been no official proposal or discussion about building a data center in the area.
The topic surfaced after residents began raising concerns about the possibility of a data center being constructed near the line dividing Bleckley and Dodge counties in the community of Empire.
Citizens have voiced questions about several issues often associated with large data center developments, including high electricity usage, water consumption for cooling systems, environmental impact, land use, increased infrastructure demands, and the overall effect such facilities could have on rural communities.
According to Davis, the subject was briefly mentioned during a previous meeting of the Dodge-Bleckley Joint Development Authority when a developer asked if the authority might be interested in exploring the idea of a data center in the region.
However, Davis said the conversation ended almost as quickly as it began.
“At that time there was no land identified or available for such a project, and the conversation did not go any further,” Davis explained.
Since the issue began circulating publicly, Davis said he has spent considerable time researching how data centers operate and the potential advantages and disadvantages they can bring to communities.
Among the potential benefits, Davis noted that data centers can generate construction jobs during development, provide a limited number of long-term technical positions, and contribute property tax revenue that can support local governments and services.
At the same time, he said the facilities can also present challenges that communities must carefully consider.
Davis emphasized that understanding the issue fully is important before opinions are formed.
“Education on the subject is critical,” Davis said. “People need to understand what data centers are, how they operate, and what the potential impacts could be before drawing conclusions.”
He added that his primary responsibility is to the residents of Bleckley County.
“I can’t speak for what Dodge County wants or feels, but all I can say is I have to look out for Bleckley County and its citizens,” Davis said. “Bleckley County has been my home all my life and I want what’s best for this community.”
Pruitt echoed that no project is currently being pursued.
“There is no data center coming here,” Pruitt said. “There is much to be learned about them, and even then we may not agree with it.”
Davis said transparency with the public is important to him when discussing issues that could affect the community.
If the possibility of a data center ever became a serious topic for the area, Davis said he would want residents to have direct access to reliable information.
He said he would plan to hold a town hall meeting and invite certified data center experts to answer questions and explain the potential impacts such a facility could have on the community.
“We want people to have the facts,” Davis said.
For now, however, both Davis and Pruitt emphasized that residents do not need to be concerned about a data center project moving forward locally.
“As of today, there is no data center coming to town,” the officials said.
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