Citrus County commissioners are pursuing a temporary moratorium on building permits and property rezonings for data centers, following a packed public meeting in which residents strongly opposed a proposed facility in the Lecanto area.
The proposal would place a data center on 800 acres of land near County Road 491 and Tram Road, near Lecanto.
Residents who attended Tuesday’s commission meeting raised concerns about data centers’ heavy water consumption, the heat they generate, and potential pollution of land and water.
Commissioners said a temporary moratorium is the preferred approach, as a permanent ban would likely lead to lawsuits.
The debate is playing out at the state level as well. Florida lawmakers recently approved SB 484, which would impose stricter regulations on new data centers — including public disclosure requirements — and restrict their placement near large residential areas and schools, citing concerns about water use, noise, and energy consumption.
Data centers have been spreading rapidly across the country as technology companies race to meet surging demand for AI products that require substantial computing power. The facilities can consume more electricity than a small city and have spurred a push to build additional power plants to keep up.
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