Lawsuits

Yahoo · Mobile Co., AL

A Jefferson County Circuit Court judge consolidated three lawsuits against Birmingham involving the proposed Nebius AI data center, citing shared legal issues and efficiency. The cases, filed by the Greater Birmingham Humane Society, nearby residents Robert and Gail Sansome, and a class-action suit, address zoning, permits and construction impacts including noise and dust.

WVTM · Jefferson Co., AL

Louisiana utility regulators have approved an expedited review of Cleco Power's plan to supply electricity to Applied Digital's $3.6 billion data center in Rapides Parish, bypassing the administrative law judge recommendation stage while still requiring an evidentiary hearing before commissioners decide the application's merits.

The Center Square · Rapides Parish, LA · also at New Orleans CityBusiness

Entergy Arkansas voluntarily dismissed its federal lawsuit Wednesday seeking to block news organizations from publishing financial information related to Google's planned West Memphis data center, after a federal judge denied the company's request for a restraining order citing First Amendment concerns.

KVOM 101.7 · Shelby Co., TN

Entergy Arkansas withdrew its lawsuit against the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Times, and a resident over publication of West Memphis data center agreement details obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. A federal judge had previously denied the utility's request to temporarily block publication of the documents, which Entergy claimed contained confidential trade secrets.

kjnbtv.com · Shelby Co., TN

Headline onlyMagnolia Reporter · Shelby Co., TN

Entergy Arkansas withdrew its lawsuit against the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Times and a resident over their publication of details about the utility's data center agreement with a Google subsidiary, after a federal judge denied its request for a temporary restraining order.

KTLO · Shelby Co., TN · also at Yahoo, Arkansas Advocate

Attorneys in three lawsuits challenging a proposed Nebius AI data center in Birmingham requested consolidation of discovery proceedings during a Wednesday hearing. The cases, filed by neighboring residents and the Greater Birmingham Humane Society, dispute the project's permitting and zoning while raising concerns about noise, dust, vibrations, and resource consumption.

WVTM · Jefferson Co., AL

Headline onlyThe Commercial Appeal · Shelby Co., TN

Arkansas lawmakers questioned Entergy officials Tuesday about data center projects and the utility's decision to charge ratepayers for a solar and battery storage facility serving Google's West Memphis facility. Republican Senator Mark Johnson criticized Entergy's lawsuit against the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette over reporting on power agreements and expressed concern about a new rider adding $22.81 to his power bill.

Magnolia Reporter · Shelby Co., TN

Arkansas lawmakers questioned Entergy on data center projects Tuesday, with concerns raised about passing costs for a solar and battery facility to ratepayers through a new rate rider approved under the Generating Arkansas Jobs Act of 2025. Republican Sen. Mark Johnson also criticized Entergy's unsuccessful lawsuit against the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette over reporting on Google power agreements.

Arkansas Advocate · Shelby Co., TN

Inver Grove Heights amended its data center moratorium Monday to allow Florida-based developer QLevr to proceed with a 54,000-square-foot facility, averting a lawsuit seeking over $150 million in damages. The council voted 3-1 to exclude QLevr's application from the interim moratorium after the company challenged the ordinance in court.

Pioneer Press · Florida

A 22-year-old Florida woman who flew to California to meet a car-show organizer died alongside him in a fiery high-speed McLaren crash in Irvine early Sunday. Authorities are investigating what caused the vehicle to lose control, strike a curb and tree, then catch fire near Culver Drive and Deerfield Avenue.

al.com · Polk Co., FL

American Press · Louisiana

Headline onlyThe Commercial Appeal · Shelby Co., TN

law.com · Georgia

Thor Equities has submitted plans for a 150-megawatt data center in Bartow County, Georgia, estimated to cost $1 billion and targeted for 2030 completion. The Kingston Technology Hub project would occupy 350,000 square feet and is projected to generate $2 million annually in local tax revenue and approximately 50 full-time jobs.

Data Center Dynamics · Georgia

The House is expected to vote on the Ratepayer Protection Act, which would speed construction of AI data centers and prioritize their grid connection, according to reports. Over 200 advocacy organizations have opposed the bill, arguing it fails to protect ratepayers from increased electricity rates and water consumption.

Food & Water Watch

Alabama's contested divorce filings declined 37% from 2010 to 2025, falling from nearly 13,000 to just over 8,000. Madison County was the only significant exception, with about 43 more contested divorces in 2025 than 2010, attributed partly to Huntsville's rapid population growth of roughly 100,000 residents.

AL.com · Alabama

Fayette County in northwest Alabama had the state's highest divorce rate in 2025 with 186 cases, equating to approximately 57 filings per 1,000 married-couple households, according to Alabama Administrative Office of Courts data. Marion County had the next highest rate at about 31 filings per 1,000 married households.

AL.com · Alabama

Headline onlygovtech.com · Jefferson Co., AL

A Birmingham resident is suing the Industrial Development Board, its chairman, and AI company Nebius over $3.2 billion in tax abatements for a data center project, claiming the approval process violated the Open Meetings Act and that the board lacked authority to grant the breaks.

al.com · Jefferson Co., AL

Data centers have emerged as a dominant midterm election issue in Alabama, Nevada, and Pennsylvania, with voters across party lines opposing large AI computing facilities due to concerns about electricity costs, water usage, environmental impacts, and limited long-term job creation. Democratic and Republican candidates are responding with varying positions, from stricter regulations to tax abatement reviews.

The American Prospect · Jefferson Co., AL

Edged Energy's attorney has threatened to sue Prichard after the city questioned a building permit previously issued for a data center on Telegraph Road, claiming the developer followed all instructions and was never told Planning Commission review was required.

fox10tv.com · Mobile Co., AL

A Regions Bank shareholder has sued bank officers and holding companies over the sale of Birmingham land now being developed into a Nebius data center, alleging the bank missed out on more than $66 million when the property sold for $17.2 million and resold within a day for $83.5 million.

WVTM · Jefferson Co., AL

A Regions Bank shareholder sued the bank's officials and AI company Nebius Inc. over the sale of property in Birmingham for a $36 billion data center, alleging Nebius fraudulently acquired the property for $17.2 million and resold it the same day for $83.5 million. The shareholder claims bank officials breached fiduciary duties by failing to conduct proper due diligence on the property's value.

AL.com · Jefferson Co., AL

DeKalb County officials upheld denial of Shadowbox Studios' 1 million-square-foot data center proposal along International Park Drive, though the company plans to continue fighting in court. The studio claims it received written confirmations from the county planning department authorizing data center use before the county enacted a moratorium on new facilities.

95.5 WSB · Fulton Co., GA

Entergy Louisiana agreed to ease confidentiality restrictions allowing representatives from the Alliance for Affordable Energy and Union of Concerned Scientists limited access to sensitive evidence in the utility's multibillion-dollar power expansion case related to Meta's Richland Parish data center. The agreement does not provide access to underlying Meta records the groups sought through an unsuccessful subpoena last month.

The Center Square · Richland Parish, LA · also at New Orleans CityBusiness

Headline onlyWBRC

A Regions Financial Corporation shareholder filed a derivative lawsuit alleging bank officers sold a Birmingham property for $17.2 million that was resold the same day for $83.5 million, claiming damages of $66 million. The property, now being developed by Nebius for an AI data center, was transferred three times in one day through different entities.

WBRC 6 News · Jefferson Co., AL · also at WSFA, fox10tv.com, WTVY

Solar developers are rapidly expanding utility-scale solar projects across Georgia to capitalize on expiring federal tax incentives and meet rising power demand, particularly from data centers. However, projects face local opposition citing concerns about property values, environmental impacts, and community character changes, with at least one lawsuit filed against a planned solar farm.

Bisnow · Georgia

The DeKalb County Zoning Board of Appeals upheld its denial of Shadowbox Studios' proposal to build a data center on its property, citing concerns about an ongoing lawsuit. The decision leaves the studio's plans to be decided by DeKalb County Superior Court.

Atlanta News First · DeKalb Co. (GA), GA

The DeKalb County Zoning Board of Appeals upheld a staff decision denying Shadowbox Studios' request to build a 1 million-square-foot data center on 155 acres, citing the county's moratorium on new data center development approved in July and extended three times through March 2027. Shadowbox is challenging the denial in court, arguing the moratorium is invalid.

decaturish.com · DeKalb Co. (GA), GA

The Pelican Institute has engaged Louisiana regulators on two proceedings: a rulemaking on privately financed electrical networks to serve large industrial customers, and a proposed rule requiring disclosure of funding sources for groups intervening in Public Service Commission proceedings. Pelican argued that private electrical networks allow Louisiana to attract major investment without exposing ratepayers to risk, while urging narrower donor-disclosure requirements focused on foreign adversaries rather than all out-of-state funding.

Pelican Institute · Louisiana

SpaceXAI is powering its Colossus artificial-intelligence data center in Memphis with dozens of temporary gas turbines installed across the Mississippi border in Southaven, sparking legal challenges over air permits and pollution in nearby residential neighborhoods. The temporary turbines, which grew to 69 units by July, were installed under a Mississippi rule allowing portable equipment to operate for up to a year without air permits, though the NAACP sued arguing the operation constitutes an unpermitted power plant.

Scientific American · Shelby Co., TN

Three Effingham County residents sued to invalidate a zoning change approved without required public hearings that would allow data centers on industrial property, a decision tied to OpenAI's planned $20 billion data center project in the county.

CBS News · Effingham Co., GA

Tennessee State Rep. Aftyn Behn has proposed legislation to pause new data center tax exemptions for three years and require reporting on their financial impact, citing lack of transparency about revenue loss and grants. The state Department of Revenue confirmed 25 active exemption certificates statewide but does not track revenue lost or grants awarded.

WZTV · Walton Co., GA · also at WTVC

Kentucky has yet to see a hyperscale data center open, but Gallatin, Tennessee's Meta facility offers insights into potential impacts. Residents near the 900-acre campus report concerns about water usage, low humming sounds, dust during construction, and property value effects, while city officials highlight revenue and infrastructure improvements.

WKU Public Radio · Sumner Co., TN

Headline onlywsfa.com · also at WTVY

Gadget Review · Shelby Co., TN · also at Yahoo