Columbia County leaders say they are closer to a "strategic economic development partnership" with Google to bring a data center to the Augusta area.
Amid a national backlash against the large tech facilities that store and process digital data, county leaders in a Wednesday announcement emphasized the potential windfall in revenue and lowered property taxes they say the Google project could bring.
"We have been deliberate throughout this process because we want to make sure we get this right," said Doug Duncan, chairman of the Columbia County Board of Commissioners. "We are building a partnership that has the potential to generate billions of dollars in revenue for Columbia County and
ultimately provide meaningful property tax relief for our homeowners."
The Economic Development Authority of Columbia County and Google are continuing to negotiate a nonbinding memorandum of understanding that outlines what could become a legally binding agreement for the data center, according to the county.
The proposed 8-million-square-foot facility, planned for White Oak Technology Park between Appling and Harlem, has drawn criticism for more than a year from rural Columbia County residents. They repeatedly voiced concerns that such data centers' substantial utility consumption could deliver an outsized negative impact on surrounding homeowners.
Project developers and local stakeholders have countered that residents' accusations are inaccurate, and that citizens' water and electricity use would not be compromised by the data center's operation.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Columbia County pitches Google project as path to property tax relief
