Louisville residents voice concern over environmental, utility impacts of data centers

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville residents shared their concerns Wednesday about the environmental impacts and utility usage of data centers as the city weighs how they should be permitted.

The city has been hosting public meetings regarding data centers to get information out, listen to feedback and concerns, and answer the public's questions. Wednesday's meeting was the last one scheduled.

Organizations across the city have been tasked with researching data center regulations to provide recommendations on how to update the city's zoning code and protect people from any negative outcomes.

The groups said there are many upsides to data centers, such as job creation and tax incentives. But taxpayers worry about the environmental impacts and utility usage that come with the centers.

"There's a lot of adversity to the data centers, a lot of fear and a lot of questions, so people are looking for answers," Brian Davis, with the Louisville Metro Office of Planning, said. "We're taking all the comments we've received at these public hearings, as well as the information that we're getting from the surveys that people are filling out so that we can try to draft a set of regulations that we'll present to the public in December."

To learn more about the city's effort to research data centers and regulations for them, or to weigh in through the survey, click here.

Metro Council will consider the feedback before making a final decision sometime this month.

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