data center

The mayor of Gallatin, Tennessee says a hyperscale Meta data center is the city’s largest taxpayer and has done a lot of charitable giving in the community. But two years into operation, residents in the northern Tennessee town still have concerns about its effect on utilities, the environment, and property values.

Elon Musk’s xAI runs one of the nation’s largest data centers in Memphis. It’s powered by about 60 gas turbines that emit a loud, unsettling noise.

Protests against AI data centers are scheduled for this weekend across the nation, including Kentucky. A conservative social movement is calling for the public to unite against the energy-guzzling industry.

Kentucky’s third-largest city has given final approval to data center regulations, although local leaders say no projects are currently being considered in Bowling Green.

Commissioner Dana Beasley-Brown proposed a "due diligence period," or six-month moratorium on any data center activity. That effort failed, with three votes against it and two in support.

Daviess County Fiscal Court gave final approval Thursday evening to a one-year moratorium on data center applications. That gives the county time to draft zoning regulations for the industry and study the potential impact of data centers on the community.

The city council for Cave City has voted 4-1 to approve a one-year moratorium on data center applications. There are currently no specific data center projects proposed in Cave City, but local leaders say they’ve been approached by developers.

A former data center executive says Kentucky needs a moratorium on the industry until state regulations are in place. Erin Petrey, who is also a Democratic candidate for Congress in central Kentucky, is leading efforts to get legislation filed for the 2027 General Assembly.