By: DJ Sanders, Intern & Tracy Sanders, Publisher
djsanders200@gmail.com tracy@thewoodrufftimes.com
SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. — As New York becomes the first state in the nation to pause new hyperscale data center projects, Spartanburg County leaders are moving toward a similar temporary restriction while local and state officials consider stronger regulations.
On Tuesday, July 14, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul issued an executive order establishing a one-year statewide moratorium on new hyperscale data centers requiring 50 megawatts or more of power.
New York officials said the pause will allow the state to study the effects of large-scale data centers and develop regulations intended to protect utility customers, natural resources, local communities and the reliability of the electric grid.
“New York has always been at the forefront of innovation and change, but we’ve also always guaranteed that New Yorkers benefit,” Hochul said. “As data center development threatens to hike up utility bills, deplete our natural resources, and create uncertainty for New Yorkers, it’s my responsibility to take action and lead.”
The same concerns are being raised in South Carolina, including in Spartanburg County.
During its June 15 meeting, Spartanburg County Council voted to authorize the county administrator and county attorney to prepare an ordinance that would place a one-year moratorium on new data centers.
The proposed pause would give the South Carolina General Assembly time to consider statewide regulations while allowing county staff to prepare amendments to Spartanburg County’s zoning ordinances. The council motion also called for opportunities for residents to provide input and feedback.
The vote did not immediately establish the moratorium. A formal ordinance must still be drafted and brought before council for consideration and approval.
The county’s action follows growing concern about the amount of electricity and water required by large data centers, particularly those built to support artificial intelligence.
Residents have also raised questions about noise, traffic, environmental effects, infrastructure capacity, utility costs and the placement of data centers near homes.
During public comment at the June meeting, Spartanburg resident Nina Glenn said she was concerned about a hyperscale artificial intelligence data center being built near several residential neighborhoods in the South Pine Street area.
Glenn listed utility costs, strain on the electrical grid, environmental effects, noise pollution, health risks, quality of life and a lack of transparency among her concerns.
She also asked county officials to ensure that the electricity and water demands of data centers would not result in higher utility rates for residents.
“What I don’t understand is with all the tax breaks given to the data center, how does Spartanburg receive any revenue?” Glenn asked council.
Another resident told council that neighborhoods near a proposed data center had been kept in the dark about the project and had not been given an opportunity to vote or provide input before plans moved forward.
Residents living near the site have expressed concern about air and water quality, power demands, noise and traffic.
Supporters of data centers often point to private investment, tax revenue and potential job creation. Opponents and concerned residents say those benefits must be weighed against the pressure the facilities can place on electric grids, water systems, roads and nearby communities.
The debate is especially relevant in the Upstate, where rapid industrial and residential growth has already increased demand on roads, utilities, water and wastewater systems.
South Carolina lawmakers have also considered creating a state-level permitting process for data centers that would examine a proposed facility’s effect on water and wastewater infrastructure, electricity needs, major roads and nearby environmental resources.
For residents in Woodruff, Spartanburg County and the surrounding Upstate, the issue is not simply whether data centers should be allowed.
The larger questions are how quickly communities should grow, who should pay for the infrastructure required to support that growth and what protections should be established before major projects receive approval.
As New York pauses to write new rules, Spartanburg County is now considering a similar question: Should new data centers continue to move forward under existing regulations, or should officials temporarily pause development until stronger protections are in place?
