COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCSC) — As data centers continue to pop up across South Carolina, state lawmakers are weighing new guidelines on how and where these massive facilities can operate.
Supporters say data centers are a sign of the times, driven by the rise of artificial intelligence and technology in everyday life. But for some residents, the projects are hitting too close to home.
“Having my dream just come to a halt and a standstill really is just very upsetting,” said Jennifer Singleton, who lives in Walterboro. She bought her property for its land and now faces the possibility of an 860-acre data center campus being built nearby. Singleton and others have filed a lawsuit to stop the development.
The South Carolina Department of Commerce says it does not track the total number of data centers in the state, only those that apply for tax exemptions. Eleven have requested tax assistance in the past five years, but lawmakers estimate about 30 are currently operating statewide.
Some House lawmakers want to create guardrails for these projects, including banning taxpayer funding for these projects and requiring centers to be energy independent.
“It’s such a burden that we don’t need to be providing the supplies for,” said Rep. April Cromer, R-Anderson. “We need to make sure they can do that on their own and be sustainable, independent without burdening the community or the people of South Carolina.”
In the Senate, GOP leaders say companies should foot the bill and suggest the state may need a role in deciding where data centers can be built.
“We’ve relied upon local governments in the past to make these land use decisions,” said Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, chair of the Senate Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee. “I do think there’s a role for the state to play here in terms of establishing site criteria as to what makes a data center suitable for that kind of development.”
Lawmakers are expected to continue discussions as more data centers look to move into South Carolina.
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