CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Hamilton County leaders are considering hitting the pause button on new AI data centers in rural parts of the county.
Mayor Weston Wamp proposed a one-year moratorium on new data centers in unincorporated Hamilton County on Tuesday, saying officials need more time to study how the rapidly growing industry could affect utilities, farmland and surrounding communities.
The proposal comes as communities across the country debate the impact of large-scale AI data centers, which can require significant amounts of electricity and water…