Signage at the official announcement of the Google data center in West Memphis on Oct. 2, 2025. (Photo by Ainsley Platt/Arkansas Advocate)
Hailed by officials and economic developers as a boon to the state, data center projects heading to Arkansas are facing increasing scrutiny and calls for local regulations.
Since an overhaul of energy permitting laws credited with luring more data centers was enacted last year, companies have announced plans for five such projects statewide. Two of them are already under construction…