Permits

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

Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Water Development Board to enforce state water-use reporting requirements for major water users, including data centers, and coordinate with ERCOT to gather information on data center water consumption. Failure to complete the required water-use survey can result in legal consequences and permit disqualification.

waterworld.com

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

The Brookwood City Council voted unanimously to annex and rezone the final land parcel needed for Youngwoo & Associates' planned data center campus, completing zoning approval for one of three separate data center projects proposed along the town's industrial corridor.

Tuscaloosa Thread · Tuscaloosa Co., AL

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

The Georgia Public Service Commission held a meeting in Savannah to address coastal residents' concerns about a recently announced OpenAI data center in Effingham County and rising power bills. Commissioners discussed Georgia Power's OpenAI contract and heard public comments, with many attendees calling for increased transparency around the deal.

WABE · Chatham Co., GA

Alabama's town supervisor says the municipality must decide soon on Stream U.S. Data Centers' $19.46 billion data center project application despite Gov. Hochul's one-year moratorium on new hyperscale data centers, citing statutory requirements for local approval timelines.

The Batavian · Alabama

Canceled data center projects leave utilities with infrastructure costs often passed to ratepayers, while the reassignment of capacity can take months or years. A 2026 survey found nearly one in five data center interconnection requests never materialize, creating a structural planning problem for utilities.

datacenterknowledge · Georgia

The Memphis City Council is scheduled to vote Tuesday on a proposed 12-month moratorium that would halt zoning and building permits for large-scale data centers. The measure aims to give city officials time to study the facilities' demands on the power grid, water supplies, and communities, though competing proposals suggest alternative approaches including permanent zoning guidelines and environmental regulations.

Action News 5 · Shelby Co., TN · also at Action News 5

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

Yasmins Food Mart in Fairfield received the week's lowest inspection score of 73 after inspectors found spoiled raw chicken with black and gray discoloration and moldy red velvet cake, along with missing soap, paper towels, and a food thermometer. Three other Jefferson County food establishments also scored below the satisfactory 85-point threshold during first-week September inspections.

WBRC · 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

Southaven Mayor Darren Musselwhite says artificial intelligence represents the next industrial revolution, with SpaceXAI data centers in the city playing a key role in national security amid competition with China. Musselwhite acknowledged noise issues from a SpaceXAI power plant but said the company has addressed concerns through mitigation efforts and acoustic engineering specialists.

DeSoto Times-Tribune · DeSoto Co., MS

Former EPA officials warn that data center expansion to support artificial intelligence could impose $11.7 billion to $20.9 billion in annual public-health costs by 2028, including roughly 600,000 asthma cases and 1,300 premature deaths, citing a 2026 academic study. The Environmental Protection Network's report contends the EPA is weakening pollution safeguards and limiting public participation in permitting decisions as data centers proliferate.

Louisiana Illuminator · Louisiana

Taylor County commissioners voted to bring an engineering firm to their next meeting to help add data center regulations to the county's land development code. The process is expected to take several weeks.

WCTV · Florida

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

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

A permit application indicates Applied Digital Corporation, a Dallas-based company, plans to build a 2-million-square-foot data center in Brookwood on Industrial Parkway. Brookwood Mayor Joe Barger confirmed the proposed development is an AI data center but said no project has been signed yet.

WBRC · Alabama

Data center projects in central Alabama involve multiple stages from land acquisition through construction, with jurisdictions like Chelsea and Homewood implementing moratoria while officials evaluate impacts. Developers typically identify sites with power access and infrastructure before seeking rezoning, annexation, permits and other approvals that provide opportunities for public input on concerns including water use, noise and traffic.

WBMA · Alabama

Proponents of data centers in Florida argued at a Florida League of Cities conference that the facilities represent necessary infrastructure for the digital economy, while addressing concerns about water usage and property values. Speakers noted that existing data centers in other states have generated significant tax revenue and that Florida's regulatory frameworks can oversee responsible development.

Mid Florida Newspapers · Florida

The West Virginia Department of Commerce certified two data center projects for Mason County: the Nscale Monarch Campus in Point Pleasant, which would include a biomass and carbon-capture facility, and "Project Tamarack" by Florida-based Starwood Digital Ventures, representing a $12 billion investment located 20 miles north of the Monarch Campus.

West Virginia Watch · Florida · also at The Register-Herald, Yahoo

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

A Caddo Parish zoning official suggested alternatives to restrict data centers through ordinances and nuisance laws rather than zoning, citing that a master plan needed for expanded zoning authority would take years while data centers are already arriving.

The Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate · Caddo Parish, LA

Birmingham Township supervisors will hold a public hearing Sept. 8 on a proposed ordinance that would allow data centers in two commercial zoning districts under conditional-use approval, subject to restrictions on noise, water consumption, power generation, setbacks, and emergency planning.

MyChesCo · Jefferson Co., AL

Republican gubernatorial nominee Tommy Tuberville has shifted his public stance on data center development, now calling for communities to have veto power and higher taxes on the facilities, while previously advocating for rapid expansion. A statewide poll showed 70% of Alabamians want data centers regulated or opposed.

Tuscaloosa Thread · Alabama

Decatur has adopted regulations requiring data center developers to obtain special exemption permits and conduct studies on water consumption, power usage, fire protection, noise, hazardous materials and waste. The city council approved the ordinance to proactively regulate potential smaller facilities, though no developers currently propose projects there.

AL.com · Morgan Co., AL · also at AL.com

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

Starlink's 50% discount on its Residential Plan in Memphis, offered in response to community protests over a nearby data center project, has attracted over 2,000 new customers. SpaceX agreed to replace 69 unpermitted portable gas turbines powering the Southaven facility with 41 permitted permanent turbines by July 2027.

driveteslacanada.ca · Shelby Co., TN

Nebius spokesperson Leah Davis defended the company's controversial Birmingham data center project in the Oxmoor Valley neighborhood, stating the facility will operate responsibly and won't burden residents with noise, utilities, or other environmental costs. The project faces multiple lawsuits claiming violations of zoning laws.

WBHM · Jefferson Co., AL

The EPA proposes eliminating a federal requirement that states notify the public and seek comment before issuing air pollution permits for data centers and other industrial facilities. Critics argue the plan could prevent communities from learning about or opposing proposed facilities, while EPA officials say it grants states flexibility in permitting processes for minor pollution sources.

wvtm

Brookwood Mayor Joe Barger defended proposed data centers at a town hall Tuesday, saying research and conversations with other communities resolved his initial concerns. Dozens of residents questioned the three projects, citing worries about proximity to Brookwood Middle School, water usage, noise and power bills, with a council vote scheduled for September 15.

Tuscaloosa Thread

The EPA has proposed eliminating a federal requirement that states notify the public and seek comment before issuing air pollution permits for data centers and other industrial facilities. Environmental groups argue the plan could allow states to approve projects without public input or community awareness.

WKMG · also at WHNT.com, WKRG, Orlando Sentinel

Doug Jones, Alabama's Democratic gubernatorial candidate, called Wednesday for stricter ethics laws and financial disclosure requirements, criticizing U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville's stock holdings in tech companies tied to data centers. Jones said elected officials voting on data center matters should publicly disclose their financial interests beforehand.

AL.com · Jefferson Co., AL

Brookwood residents expressed environmental and noise concerns Tuesday about a potential data center project by Applied Digital, which owns hundreds of acres in the area. Mayor Joe Barger said no official deal exists and noted a permit application went to Alabama, not the city.

abc3340.com · Tuscaloosa Co., AL

Florida's gubernatorial candidates are divided over data center development. Republican Byron Donalds supports the facilities with environmental safeguards, while Democrat David Jolly advocates for a one-year moratorium to study potential impacts on water, health and economics.

Tampa Bay 28 · Florida

Forest Park approved a 90-day moratorium on data center applications to revise zoning laws that currently permit such facilities by right. The city plans to establish definitions, location guidelines, residential buffers, and accountability provisions for data centers.

WSB-TV · Fulton Co., GA

Pennsylvania's data center sales tax exemption will cost $188.4 million in fiscal year 2026-27, 113% more than the $88.6 million originally projected when the program took effect in 2022. Projections show costs ballooning to $517.2 million by fiscal year 2030-31, a 1,158% increase over six years.

Good Jobs First · Georgia

Southaven's Board of Aldermen approved a site plan for a 660,000 square-foot data center by MZX Tech, a SpaceXAI subsidiary, on Tulane Road after approving zoning changes and removing a middle parcel line to create one industrial lot. One alderman voted against the project, citing concerns about the company completing noise-reduction commitments from its existing natural gas turbine operations.

DeSoto Times-Tribune · DeSoto Co., MS

uk.pcmag.com · Shelby Co., TN · also at PCMag, PCMag Australia