IRWIN COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) — A new development in South Georgia is adding to the conversation surrounding a proposed data center in Irwin County as county leaders move to dissolve the local industrial authority. Officials said that decision is separate from the data center proposal, but it has prompted questions from residents about oversight and community input.

According to Irwin County Chairman Vince Thompson, county leaders are still in the research phase, and no votes have been taken on the proposed data center. Thompson said officials are evaluating potential benefits and impacts, including whether the project could expand the county’s tax base in a community that largely depends on homeowners and landowners to fund services.

Thompson said commissioners are studying both water and electricity demands before making any decisions. He said his understanding is that the Georgia Public Service Commission regulates electricity rates in Georgia, and that agreements between the commission and utility providers are intended to prevent residential customers from absorbing costs tied to large commercial users such as data centers. Still, county leaders said they are continuing to gather information to fully understand potential long-term impacts on local energy infrastructure.

Water use remains one of the major concerns being reviewed. Thompson said commissioners have been told that the proposed facility could use less water than current agricultural operations on the site, noting that the land currently uses center-pivot irrigation systems that consume large amounts of groundwater. He emphasized the county will review annual usage numbers before any vote is taken.

While officials continue their research, residents across Irwin County and neighboring communities have voiced a range of concerns. Some neighbors said they worry about how increased industrial demand could affect groundwater levels during drought conditions, while others question whether heavy energy use could strain regional power infrastructure or eventually impact costs despite regulatory protections.

Residents have also raised concerns about traffic tied to construction and operations, possible noise from cooling systems and whether rural roads and infrastructure are equipped to handle large-scale development. Others said they want clearer information about how decisions are being made and whether the public will have enough opportunity to weigh in before approvals move forward.

Questions surrounding transparency have intensified following the county’s move to dissolve the industrial authority, with some residents wondering whether the change could alter how major projects are reviewed in the future.

County leaders maintain the move to dissolve the industrial authority is unrelated to the data center proposal. According to a news article titled County Commission Moves to Dissolve the Industrial Authority, officials said the action is aimed at determining whether the authority should be restructured as a statutory authority to provide more oversight and checks and balances for residents while they wait on guidance from the Georgia Attorney General’s office.

Meanwhile, WWALS Watershed Coalition Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman said his own research raises concerns about what large-scale data centers could mean for local water resources and river health.

Quarterman said data centers typically require significant water for cooling and large amounts of electricity to operate, which he argues can indirectly affect water resources through increased demand on power generation. He said the Suwannee River Basin and surrounding aquifer systems are closely connected, meaning impacts to surface water can also affect drinking water supplies, agriculture and recreation.

Quarterman adds that water levels in some rivers and springs are already low during drought conditions, and he said he worries additional industrial demand could place further strain on natural resources.

Supporters of data centers often point to economic development, expanded tax revenue and infrastructure investment, while critics raise concerns about natural resources, electricity demand and long-term sustainability in rural communities.

Upcoming public meetings and proposal details

According to a public notice from the county, the Ocilla/Irwin Planning Advisory Commission will consider an application for a special exception to zoning on Thursday, Feb. 26, at 6 p.m. at the County Commissioner’s Office, 225 East 4th Street in Ocilla.

The Irwin County Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the application on Monday, March 2, at 5:45 p.m. at the Irwin County Courthouse, 301 South Irwin Avenue in Ocilla.

The application reportedly seeks approval for the construction and operation of a data center on property located at 0 Ponderosa Drive and 0 Alapaha River Road. The proposal covers approximately 546.35 acres in an agricultural (AU) zone. The applicant is listed as James Russell Bryant acting for The Marcus D. Fletcher Trust.

County officials said case files related to the application are available for public inspection at the zoning administrator’s office during regular business hours, and staff reports are expected to be available five days prior to the Planning Advisory Commission meeting.

As county leaders move through the process, residents and environmental advocates say they will be watching closely to see how economic growth is balanced with protecting the resources communities rely on every day.

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