Debate about data centers emerges in Donalds-Jolly gubernatorial race

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• Sep 16
  PERMIT·Florida

  Political Connections Florida September 15 2026

  Florida Democrats criticized Republican congressional candidate Byron Donalds' support for data center development, while his Democratic opponent David Jolly highlighted donations Donalds received from data center developers. Gov. Ron DeSantis opposed Amendment 1, which would increase the state's rainy day fund cap by 10 to 25 percent and require annual deposits up to $750 million.

  Spectrum Bay News 9 · Florida
• Sep 16
  NEWS·Florida

  Florida Democrats criticize Byron Donalds over data centers

  Headline onlywfla.com · Florida
• Sep 16
  MORATORIUM·Shelby Co., TN

  Memphis City Council pushes back vote on data center regulation

  The Memphis City Council postponed a vote on data center regulation moratorium until October 6, citing a need for more information about development impacts. Council members discussed potential tax revenue and addressed neighborhood concerns about the projects.

  Action News 5 · Shelby Co., TN
• Sep 16
  VOTE·Shelby Co., TN

  Lawmakers discuss the data center industry in Arkansas

  Google is building a data center campus at West Memphis and engaging with residents, a company official told the Arkansas Legislature's Joint Energy Committee. The state has two hyperscale data centers under construction and plans for four more, with Google's West Memphis facility expected to demand 600 megawatts of power.

  The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette · Shelby Co., TN
• Sep 15
  HEARING·Chatham Co., GA

  Georgia PSC hears data center concerns at Savannah meeting

  The Georgia Public Service Commission held its first administrative meeting outside Atlanta in nearly 20 years in Savannah, hosting a town hall where residents expressed concerns about rapid data center development, particularly OpenAI's planned 1,400-acre Effingham County campus. The PSC announced new requirements for large-load contracts, including long-term agreements and upfront infrastructure payments, with the OpenAI deal calling for a 25-year term and 3.2 gigawatts of demand.

  Statesboro Herald · Chatham Co., GA
• Sep 15
  VOTE·Fulton Co., GA

  Georgia PSC Takes Questions on OpenAI’s Effingham Data Center

  The Georgia Public Service Commission held a town hall in Savannah on Tuesday to address concerns about OpenAI's planned 1,400-acre data center in Effingham County, focusing on regulatory oversight, power demands, and customer protections. The PSC established new requirements for large-load contracts, including 25-year terms, minimum bills, and provisions preventing cost shifts to residential customers if the contract ends early.

  Effingham Herald · Fulton Co., GA
• Sep 15
  HEARING·Chatham Co., GA

  Savannah residents voice concerns over Georgia Power’s ties to proposed OpenAI data center

  Residents at a Georgia Public Service Commission forum in Savannah expressed environmental, health, and cost concerns about Georgia Power's role in supplying electricity to a proposed OpenAI data center in Effingham County, with critics questioning whether projected bill savings justify potential community impacts.

  WTOC · Chatham Co., GA
• Sep 15
  NEWS·Hinds Co., MS

  Mississippi supervisors get crash course on data centers as industry expands statewide

  Mississippi county supervisors gathered at a two-day convening in Jackson to learn about data center development, an expanding industry statewide. Organizers brought in outside experts, including Brookings Institution representatives, to address concerns from local officials about potential impacts on utilities and water resources.

  WLBT · Hinds Co., MS · also at WLBT
• Sep 15
  NEWS·Tennessee

  Data center developer hammering out binding agreement with city

  Headline onlyThe Black Chronicle · Tennessee · also at The Center Square
• Sep 15
  MORATORIUM·Shelby Co., TN

  Memphis City Council delays moratorium on data centers

  Headline onlyThe Commercial Appeal · Shelby Co., TN
• Sep 15
  NEWS·Shelby Co., TN

  Data center noise triggers sleepless nights for Memphis-area residents

  Residents near a Southaven data center report persistent mechanical noise exceeding 60 decibels at night, disrupting sleep for over a year. Project representatives say millions are being invested in sound mitigation, but an installed sound wall has provided minimal relief.

  The American Bazaar · Shelby Co., TN
• Sep 15
  MORATORIUM·Shelby Co., TN

  Data center moratorium proposals delayed until October

  A Memphis City Council member delayed a vote on a proposed one-year ban on new data centers until October 6, saying he would amend the ordinance to address fellow council members' suggestions while focusing on hyperscale facilities.

  Daily Memphian · Shelby Co., TN · also at Daily Memphian