Data center moratorium

Called the county's map on future data center sites 'worthless,' criticized the 430-acre approval, and said residents feel unheard after the board voted down the pause motion.

Pressed for a moratorium, noting large tracts could host data centers and citing ballot measures on data centers in other states.

Said twice-passed moratorium motions were 'sabotaged' by staff, asked who runs the county, and urged the board to pass the moratorium itself.

Made a specific ask: an immediate temporary moratorium while the county develops data-center-specific standards for water, noise, setbacks, and power.

Thanked Officer Eldridge for 18 years of service, then asked again for a data center moratorium and UDO review.

Quoted the county's own strategic plan values and asked commissioners to live up to them on the data center issue.

Wearing her father's 1952 Deep River letterman jacket, demanded the moratorium now and criticized the 75% countryside-to-light-industrial rezoning.

Cited water crises in Virginia and Georgia, warned that the proposed Enbridge fracked-gas pipeline to power the data center would cross Chatham County farms and the Deep River, and asked for a moratorium.

Said she's asked for a moratorium for months, referenced a reported commissioner text calling the crowd 'the mob,' and said weak UDO protections and secrecy have created mistrust.

Kept it short: residents on Lower Moncure Road are losing sleep because the board denied a basic review request, and she asked how the board sleeps at night.

Said her family hasn't slept since June 8, read a long list of NC towns and counties that adopted moratoriums, called the board's legislative resolution inadequate, and demanded local action now.

Distributed documents with twelve questions and a source sheet, asked who signed NDAs and when, and urged an immediate moratorium: stop, study, disclose, listen, then decide.

Criticized the SAGA economic development recruitment process as flawed, noted a lawsuit against Cyrus One elsewhere, and asked for an emergency moratorium while the application is still under review.

Asked what kind of growth the board is choosing, noted no resident has ever spoken in favor of the data center, and cited the 90 megawatts as roughly the demand of 75,000 homes — tripling the county's electric need.

A local business owner and Chatham County landowner 1.8 miles from the Butler No. 3 well asked for a moratorium, and shared a family EMS story urging the board not to pick the lowest bidder.

A software engineer who argued data centers bring few local jobs and drive away tech talent, and asked for a moratorium and a SELC presentation on the county's regulatory options.

A retired school speech therapist and outdoor enthusiast who called it a quality-of-life, environmental, and wildlife issue and asked for a SELC presentation.

Urged a moratorium to protect water, air, and soil, citing Chatham County's 12-month ban, and asked for a SELC presentation with a public vote.

The Deep River riverkeeper raised concerns about PFOS and dioxin pollution already in the river, which supplies drinking water to about 50,000 people, and opposed a data center next to the new 421 river access site.

Toxic Free NC's organizing director urged moratoria on fracking, drilling, and data centers, noting Deep River Data would be the first commercial well in the Triassic Basin and citing the 1925 Coal Glen mine disaster.

Cited data centers' massive water use (5 million gallons/day) and criticized Chairman Smith for demeaning citizens who disagree with him.

Clean Water for NC staffer confirmed no application has been filed yet, called the situation a 'gift of time,' and urged a temporary moratorium now while the county has the most legal latitude.