A proposed 1,050-acre hyperscale data center in Lowndes County, Alabama, has sparked fierce local opposition and a broader fight over secrecy, land use, and community control — issues that are now becoming a major point of debate in the race to become governor of Alabama.
Here’s what to know
At a campaign stop in Lowndes County, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Doug Jones called for Alabama to freeze new data center construction for one year while the state adopts transparency standards, according to the Alabama Political Reporter.
Jones described the moratorium as a short-term measure, not a permanent ban, saying the pause would give Alabama time to establish guardrails before additional communities are asked to take on developments of this size.
The proposal comes as opposition in Lowndes County remains strong over the planned 1,050-acre facility. Many residents say they still do not know what benefits have been promised, what costs could come with the project, or why so much of the process appears to unfold outside public view…