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Amazon buys 118 acres in Douglas County for possible data center, amid concerns about sustainability

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Published  October 17, 2024 11:10pm EDT
Douglas County
FOX 5 Atlanta

Why did Amazon buy land in Douglas County?

A massive data center could soon be on its way to Douglas County. Amazon has bought 118 acres of land there with that in mind. Here's what we know.

The Brief

    • Amazon has purchased 118 acres in Douglas County for a potential new data center, as indicated by communications from county officials and an Amazon spokesperson.
    • Local concerns are growing about the environmental and community impact of such data centers, with issues related to noise, pollution from diesel generators, and heightened electricity rates due to their high power consumption.
    • Critics highlight that data centers contribute minimal long-term employment, typically creating only a few dozen jobs, and often receive substantial tax breaks, which has been a point of contention in places like Fulton County.
    • Despite opposition, the demand for data centers is surging, notably driven by the increasing use of AI, with Metro Atlanta experiencing the fastest rate of data center development in the U.S. at a 211 percent increase since 2023.
    • Efforts to control the expansion of data centers through legislation, such as pausing tax breaks, have seen mixed success, with a relevant bill being vetoed by Georgia's Gov. Brian Kemp.

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. - Amazon has purchased 118 acres of land in Douglas County, potentially marking the arrival of the latest data center in the area, county officials and a company spokesperson told FOX 5.  

As the gigantic warehouses filled with computers continue to pop up across Metro Atlanta and the rest of the country, concerns are mounting over the lasting impact these facilities may have on communities, infrastructure, and the environment. 

The latest proposed site is located off Echo Road near Rock House Road in unincorporated Douglas County.  

"We are constantly evaluating new locations based on customer demand," said Amazon Web Services spokesperson Simone Griffin in an email. "We recently purchased land in Douglas County, Georgia, and are performing due diligence in exploring possible data center locations." 

Greg LeRoy, director of the organization Good Jobs First, highlighted several potential issues that data centers can bring to smaller communities. 

"We're seeing a lot of protest about utility lines," LeRoy said. "There’s noise associated with the operation. They have standby generation power of diesel engines emitting fumes, and there's upward pressure on utility rates because they consume so much electricity." 

In nearby Fayette County, a new data center has already sparked an outcry over plans to run high-voltage power lines above the county's oldest church to power the facility. 

"The power lines are just going to be horrible," one resident said of the proposed project. 

Additionally, data centers often fail to provide significant long-term employment for the communities in which they’re built, LeRoy said. 

"At the end of the day, these data centers create very few permanent jobs," he explained. "We're talking a couple dozen or 30 jobs, typically, at a data center." 

Critics have also pointed to the generous tax breaks given to data center developers, particularly in Fulton County, where Elon Musk's company received a $10 million tax break to expand a facility near the Beltline earlier this year.  

Atlanta City Council later voted to ban data centers near the popular walking path and any transit centers. 

"We want to see workers. We want to see people. We want to see housing and retail," Council member Jason Dozier said. 

Despite these concerns, demand for data centers continues to grow rapidly, fueled in part by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).  

Metro Atlanta has seen a 211 percent increase in data center development since 2023, the fastest rate of growth in the country. 

"Demand is enormous, especially because of AI," LeRoy said. "And taxpayers shouldn't bear the brunt of it." 

Earlier this year, state lawmakers passed a bill to pause tax breaks for data centers, but it was vetoed by Governor Brian Kemp. 

As for Douglas County, no construction permits have been issued for the Amazon site yet, although the land has recently been rezoned, the county administrator said in an email.  

Neither county officials nor the spokesperson Amazon Web Services agreed to on-camera interviews regarding the center. 

The Source

  • FOX 5 Atlanta original reporting