CAMDEN, S.C. (WIS) – Kershaw County Council voted to pass a third and final reading of an ordinance establishing a temporary moratorium on data centers, cryptocurrency mining operations and data processing facilities.
The approval gives county officials a one year window to examine the industry and develop regulations for the area.
“I think this is a motion and ordinance… we’ve had a lot of discussion and we’ve heard a lot of comments from the public,” Councilmember Danny Catoe said. “And I believe this is something that’s desperately needed for right now. And that’ll give us a year to look into things and see where we need to go from there.”
The third reading was passed unanimously among the county council. Councilmember Sammie Tucker Jr. voted in favor remotely.
Councilmember Jimmy Jones voiced support for the oversight, thanking citizens who reached out to council members to help initiate the ordinance a few weeks prior.
Earlier in the meeting, council held a public hearing on the proposed moratorium, where one resident was the sole speaker to sign up.
“Please use your common sense to put in place the temporary moratorium on data centers and other technology until we can regulate and control them,” she said.
The resident voiced concerns over the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, urging the council to not let the county contribute to its unintended consequences.
“There are many advantages that AI technology can provide as long as we can safely develop it and not let it become a monster that we create and then cannot control,” she said.
The first and second readings were passed on Aug. 25 and Sept 8. respectively.
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