Carter County mayor says data centers can not be completely deleted

Carter County Mayor Patty Woodby took to social media to quash rumors on those platforms accusing her of endorsing data centers.

“…They got it wrong. It’s actually the opposite,” she said in the recorded video.

The Pew Research Center says the land rush for data companies is simple–bare acres of land that can be bought at a cheaper price, no zoning, and low labor cost. Woodby says county attorneys have told her no mayor in the state has the power to completely ban those centers but can regulate their use.

“So the next best thing we can do is put restrictions in place that guarantees they will not come into our community,” Woodby said.

The Pew report says 38 percent of Americans currently live within 5 miles of a data center.

(IMAGE: Property of Pexels / Brett Sayles)