U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock is calling for a moratorium on data centers.
The announcement came Friday morning during a press conference at Zion Lutheran Church in Guyton, where Warnock met with residents and stakeholders regarding the planned data center in Rincon. It is unclear as to whether Warnock wants the moratorium in Effingham County alone or throughout the state but he laid out the only reasons the measure should be lifted if implemented.
“That moratorium can only be lifted for a specific project if there are no water or electric bill increases because of the data center, if there are no NDAs or sweetheart tax giveaways to developers and there is no air or water pollution from the data center, and no ambiguity around noise and light pollution,"
said Warnock.
A spokesperson from OpenAI responded to Warnock's statements during the presser and pointed back to their commitments to ensure residents do not incur power usage costs from the data center.
“We support Senator Warnock’s focus on protecting Georgia families and local communities," said the spokesperson from OpenAI. "That is why OpenAI will pay the full cost of the electric infrastructure and service required for Project Camellia, use closed-loop cooling designed to keep ongoing water use low and provide $80 million in community benefits shaped by local input. Since announcing the project, we have been meeting with residents, local organizations, elected officials, and other stakeholders to share information and hear their perspectives. We will continue that engagement as the project moves through design, permitting, and review.”
Brant Herndon, chief executive officer for the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority, told SMN in a previous interview that the IDA board approved an incentives package that includes a 50% property tax abatement for 15 years. In exchange, OpenAI would be locked into the county's 2026 millage rate for the duration of the agreement.
Herndon added that the estimate does not account for additional revenue generated through other taxes that would benefit the county. Overall, he said, OpenAI is expected to become the largest taxpayer in Effingham County history.
Warnock said he was deeply troubled that public input was not considered prior to the decision to build the AI infrastructure in Rincon. On July 23, Effingham County released a statement saying OpenAI plans to invest $20 billion to build the data center and create 400 initial jobs, with a total of 1,000 at full buildout.
"It was worked out in the dark, under the cover of night and the citizens have basically been told you deal with it," said Warnock. "This is not OpenAI County. This is Effingham County so let's be clear: the process by which we got here has fallen short in its obligation to the Effingham community. OpenAI's whole approach to this project has been anything but open. It's been closed."
Effingham County resident John Smith, who lives 1,000 yards away from the future facility, questioned why guard rails were not in place before the deal was signed and agreed that a moratorium is the best way to protect the community.
"We need to have meaningful conversations as a community with our elected leaders before we introduce a mega development like this to our area," said Smith. "We still very much have a voice. We need to stand up and come to the county meetings, including the work session this Saturday at 10 a.m. This proposed project would impact all of the residents in Effingham County and the surrounding area, regardless of your religious beliefs, political parties or anything else."
Warnock also toured the Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub prior to the presser and met with residents to learn more about their concerns.
"You can't really advocate for people without talking to people," said Warnock. "I think the local officials here could learn that lesson. I came to hear directly from the folks who are impacted by this. I've heard concerns that these residents are raising about the potential noise pollution. Maybe OpenAI has an answer to that. They should talk to the people."
Warnock did not say he is against artificial intelligence and pointed to how it is used in everyday life but pointed back to the need for transparency and wants course correction regarding the data center.
"The folks woke up one day and discovered that this was going to happen and that shouldn't happen," said Warnock. "I suspect that OpenAI is going to have a story that they want to try to tell about this. I'm not going to litigate that story. If it's so good, they should lay it out before the community. And it's not too late for that to happen. It is late, but it should still happen. Stop holding the people at bay."
OpenAI held an open house meeting July 23 to address concerns from the public.
Warnock said meaningful conversations ahead of time could have helped the community and their leaders find the right answers.
"Basically they're saying they know what's best and we can't trust the people to get it right," said Warnock. "That's the opposite of democracy. This whole country is built around the concept that if you have open conversation and we talk to one another, that together, we can get to the right answer. I think folks were just very eager to get to the answer that they want. The irony of being in a democracy, you get to be frustrated that things aren't moving as quickly as you like them to move. I deal with that everyday but I don't get to run my agenda roughshod down the throats of people I say I represent. I got to hear from them."
Warnock said this situation is not unique and that other cities across America are dealing with the same lack of transparency and is asking all developers to take the necessary steps to get to know the residents who live in the communities where they are building.
"Data center developers across the country are not operating in partnership with communities and that's why everyday citizens on both sides of the aisle are rightly and deeply concerned about this...I'm demanding that those who come here to build, to create jobs and bring new opportunities also take the time to build relationships with the people who already call this home," said Warnock. "Relationships matter. County officials don't have all the answers. These multi-billion-dollar corporations don't have all of the answers and it is the height of arrogance and hubris to presume that you should do this without even hearing from the people who live here."
Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached at lwilliams6@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock calls for moratorium for data centers
