Data centers and their impact on communities have been widely discussed in counties, cities and towns across the region in the past several weeks.

A data center could be described as a continuous heavy industrial power user that typically houses computers, networking equipment, and cooling systems required to collect, process and store data, artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

Multiple major news outlets across the region — including Tennessee and Alabama — have reported the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) sent a letter in February to 153 power companies to start the process of establishing a new, separate rate classification for high-consumption data centers. Data centers and AI facilities currently account for 18% to 20% of TVA’s industrial load, and the demand is projected to double by 2030, according to media reports. TVA officials have said the goal is to protect 10 million everyday residential customers from footing the bill for expensive power grid upgrades and unexpected rate hikes, according to media reports. The TVA Board is expected to review and vote on the rate classification proposals during upcoming meetings, including one in August, according to media reports.

During last week’s Lincoln County Commission meeting, District 8 Commissioner Troy Frassrand addressed the Commission and said he knew there was “a lot talk going in various communities” about data centers. “I don’t know how the Commission feels about data centers and what they do to the environment and to the county,” Frassrand said, adding data centers were discussed at the Tennessee County Services Association Legislative Conference held in May in Gatlinburg. “If there’s a way possible, I would like to make a motion that Lincoln County does not allow data centers to come into our county and destroy our rural county and our land developments and rob the resources … it takes to power these things … I think it’s something that will be really bad for our county and I don’t see why we can’t go ahead and nip this in the bud now as Barney Fife would say and get rid of, you know, a chance of a data center coming here.”

Frassrand made the motion to stop data centers from locating in Lincoln County and it was seconded by District 8 Commissioner Jennie Roles-Walter.

Lincoln County Mayor Bill Newman asked, “Do y’all understand what data centers are?”

He said, “They use a lot of electricity. They use a lot of water and they are going to areas that don’t restrict them. So, if we don’t want them, it is time to probably do something about it.”

Newman said the Fayetteville- Lincoln County Industrial Development (FLCIDB) Board does currently have some restrictions on sound.

District 6 Commissioner Doug Cunningham asked, “Would it be good for us to refer this to planning and zoning and see what we need to get in our zoning regulations to keep something like this out?” Cunningham said he didn’t know whether a motion on the Commission would take care of it or whether something more was needed. Newman said, “That might be a question, but I think you are coming from the strongest body that has the decision here … It’s kind of starting at the top of the pyramid and going down. So, they may have to change some regulations, but I don’t think it would be improper for this commission to go ahead and say that we will not allow data centers in Lincoln County.”

Newman asked the opinion of County Attorney Ed Simms, who said he didn’t want to step on Attorney Garrett Honea’s toes, but “it seems like anything like this has to go to planning first.” Honea was approved to be the new county attorney during Tuesday night’s commission meeting.

“I think we could be attacked if one of them came in and said, ‘well, you didn’t go through the procedure,’” Cunningham said.

County Planner Traci Perkins said she had been in contact with FLCIDB Executive Director Elaine Middleton and she had already been looking into the process. “I’ve already started working on something,” Perkins said.

Frassrand said, “As long as the Commission has the power, why not go ahead and do this?”

Newman added, “There is a motion on the floor. It has been properly seconded because there’s not a restriction that we won’t vote on it. It’s just that you’ve heard the suggestion it may … need to go to planning first.”

With the process of addressing data centers already in place, Roles-Walter moved to amend the motion to state that the Commission was voting against the allowance of data centers and the Commission would have planning and zoning prepare the proper documents and bring them forward during the next Commission meeting. The amendment was seconded by Cunningham and it was approved by all commissioners present. District 7 Commissioner Steven Guntherberg was absent.

The original motion with the amendment attached was then approved by all commissioners present.