Lately, the loudest voices in the data center debate have been calling for moratoriums and bans. Chatham County, Gates County, Brevard and others have hit pause. Apex, Boone, Orange County, and Cumberland County are considering similar measures. A coalition of advocacy groups is pushing for a statewide ban on hyperscale data centers altogether. And a lawsuit in Stokes County is trying to undo the rezoning that cleared the way for Project Delta, a proposed facility along the Dan River.
We understand the impulse. Nobody wants a massive industrial project dropped into their backyard without a real conversation about what it means for their community. The residents raising questions about energy, water, noise, and who actually benefits deserve straight answers.
But a ban is the wrong answer. It would hand our competitors, both other states and other countries, exactly what they want: North Carolina on the sidelines while the biggest infrastructure buildout of our generation moves forward without us…