Kentuckians concerned about the growing number of proposed data centers will have an opportunity to share their concerns directly with state lawmakers during a legislative listening session on Thursday, Oct. 1, in Frankfort.
The Data Center Legislative Listening Session will be held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Room 171 of the Capitol Annex, 702 Capital Ave. State Rep. Adam Moore, D-Lexington, organized the session.
“One of the biggest concerns I hear is that people don’t feel like they have enough of a voice in decisions that could have a major impact on their communities,” Moore said. “This is their chance to come to Frankfort, share their concerns directly with lawmakers, talk about how these projects could affect their communities and tell us what they believe the state needs to do.”
Data centers have drawn increasing attention as projects are proposed in communities across Kentucky. Residents have raised questions about their enormous electricity demands and the potential effect on utility bills, along with concerns about water use, noise, land use, local infrastructure and how much say communities have before projects move forward.
The listening session will give residents, local officials and others an opportunity to discuss those concerns and offer ideas about what safeguards Kentucky may need as lawmakers consider the issue.
“People have legitimate questions about what these projects could mean for their utility bills, their communities and their quality of life,” Moore said. “Those voices need to be heard by lawmakers as Kentucky decides what comes next.”
Moore is also inviting members of the General Assembly’s Natural Resources and Energy Committee and Agriculture Committee to attend.
For those interested in attending, it is suggested that you arrive early, as the ongoing, multi-year Capitol Building renovation project has taken many of the parking spaces that are closest to the Annex.
Close-up of a network server rack with blinking LEDs, showcasing Ethernet connections and patch panels. By Brett Sayles via Pexels
