Audience members raised bullhorns, shouting "If we don't get it, shut it down," taking over Memphis City Council chambers during a regular meeting on Oct. 6.
Dozens in opposition among a crowd of over 200 people erupted, following Memphis City Council's vote in favor of postponing any decision on a data center moratorium or further data center restrictions.
Councilman Chase Carlisle's proposed amendment to postpone a vote on the moratorium and five other data center restrictions passed 6-5.
Immediately following the vote, audience members began yelling, booing and chanting "sell-outs," while getting up from their seats. The unusually rowdy crowd led city council members to excuse themselves from the chamber, which shut down the rest of the meeting.
Memphis police officers then escorted the remaining attendees from council chambers.
No remaining agenda items were discussed after the postponement of the moratorium vote. The moratorium will be revisited at the council's Oct. 20 meeting.
Moratorium discussion in play for months
Council's attempt to slow down data center development dates back to July, after Councilwoman Yoland Cooper-Sutton introduced an ordinance for changes in the city and county's zoning code.
Since then, city council members have discussed several ordinances and resolutions pertaining to data center restrictions. These conversations come years after SpaceXAI built two of the world's largest hyperscale data centers in Memphis. (Colossus and Colossus 2 data centers are located in Memphis' Boxtown and Whitehaven neighborhoods, respectively.)
Council's months-long dialogue has essentially created a splinter of resolutions surrounding data centers.
Initially, a 12-month temporary ban on data center development and construction was pushed forward and introduced by council members J.B Smiley Jr. and Jerri Green. The initial ban proposal would also stop any processing of construction permits with Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development.
Separate resolutions proposed
In response to a moratorium, which raises legal concerns, on Sept. 1, Councilmember Philip Spinosa proposed a separate resolution that would impose restrictions but not stop or ban construction. Those restrictions include imposing stricter reviews on any data center with a demand of 20 megawatts or more. Under Spinosa's proposal site plans for data centers will have to include total electrical demand, computing capacity, backup power generation, and additional details on cooling systems, water consumption, and battery storage capacity.
During committee session, Empower Analytics presented a report on the environmental impact of SpaceXAI's power plant in Southaven, based off the data for the planned use of 41 turbines at the facility (located at 2875 Stanton Road). In March, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) approved as PSD permit for 41 turbines at the site. Those turbines are not located, currently at the site, but are expected to be implemented after more than 60 unpermitted units are removed and replaced by July 2027.
According to the Empower Analytics study, the emissions from the Stanton Road site would have an exposure radius impacting 63.8% of Shelby County residents. According to the report, the estimated annual increase in premature death caused by the air pollution is between 1.9 to 2.8, with an estimated health-related economic impact between $30 to $44 million.
Neil Strebig is a business and development reporter for The Commercial Appeal.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Council meeting shut down when audience erupts over after moratorium postponed
