NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – Nassau County commissioners are considering a proposed moratorium on “data center facilities.”
On Monday, residents urged leaders to pause any potential projects and study the impacts on water, power systems and the environment.
Recommended Videos
The measure passed on first reading and heads to a second public hearing and final vote on June 8, according to county officials.
Residents packed the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners meeting and repeatedly asked commissioners to adopt the moratorium.
“Pass the moratorium, please,” one speaker said during public comment.
What the moratorium would do
According to the proposed ordinance, the moratorium would temporarily stop the county from accepting, reviewing, processing or approving applications tied to data center facilities in Nassau County.
That includes requests such as:
- Rezoning applications
- Conditional use permits
- Development permits
- Site plan approvals
- Building permits
- Other development approvals tied to construction, expansion or operation of data center facilities
The ordinance describes a “data center facility” as a building — or group of buildings — housing computer systems and related components used for remote storage, processing or distribution of large amounts of data. Examples listed in the ordinance include cryptocurrency mining and artificial intelligence computing, along with cloud storage and streaming services.
County Attorney Denise May told commissioners during the meeting that the moratorium is meant to buy time for planning and regulating.
“It is also NOT a Ban,” May said.
Commission Chair Alyson McCullough also emphasized to the public that the county is not currently reviewing a specific data center proposal.
“Nassau County has not received any applications,” McCullough said.
Why residents say they want a pause
During public comment, residents raised concerns about who would bear the long-term costs if a large facility were built in the area — including infrastructure and utility demands.
“Residents should not be left carrying long term infrastructure burden, utility costs and water resource strain or cleanup risks while private corporations make profit,” one speaker said.
Other residents focused on water and environmental concerns, especially given the county’s reliance on groundwater resources.
“Water resources are directly connected to public health, ecological health, economic vitality and quality of life,” another speaker told commissioners.
Multiple speakers urged commissioners to act before any application arrives.
“The best time to address the problem is before it becomes a problem,” another resident said.
What the county says it will study
The proposed ordinance said that during the moratorium period, county staff would conduct a review of potential impacts tied to data center facilities, including:
- Groundwater withdrawal impacts, including effects on the Floridan Aquifer
- Water supply and wastewater treatment capacity
- Electrical grid capacity and infrastructure requirements, including consultation with regional utilities
- Land-use compatibility and zoning standards
- Environmental considerations, including wetlands impacts, noise and lighting
- Best practices used by other jurisdictions in Florida and across the U.S.
The ordinance said the moratorium could last up to 12 months, or end sooner if the county adopts new regulations first.
What’s next
The proposal passed on first reading and goes to a second public hearing June 8, when commissioners are expected to take a final vote.