Birmingham residents gathered at Railroad Park in Birmingham Saturday morning as part of a nationwide protest against data centers.It’s part of a national effort to call on local, state and federal politicians to protect people’s hometowns and way of life. One group is protesting the Nebius center under construction in the city’s Oxmoor Valley.Joseph Baker is serving as a co-organizer of Birmingham’s Humans First protest. He wants people to have the information they need to make their own decisions about how data centers will impact them, especially with other proposed data center projects in Bessemer, Fairfield and Tuscaloosa.A lawsuit to stop construction on that data center is on pause until next month.The case over Nebius’ Birmingham project won’t be back in court until Aug. 12 because of a scheduling conflict. Thursday’s hearing focused on a request from residents to stop construction. The plaintiffs argue the project’s approval violated zoning laws, but Nebius’ attorney disagrees.“The evidence has shown, and will show, that the project was lawfully permitted,” Nebius’ attorney Charles Prueter said. “The evidence also has shown and will show that the project has been designed very thoughtfully, and it will be responsibly operated.”One Birmingham woman said she and her family just moved into their Oxmoor Valley house four months ago. She had no idea the project was happening until after she moved there.“I would like construction stopped,” Catherine Bridges Adams said. “I think we need more time to consider the implications of it in terms of artificial intelligence itself, but also the utilities. I think the data center protests would help people to get more knowledge about it, and I think that’s something maybe not everyone in the neighborhood knows yet.”Joseph Baker is serving as a co-organizer of Saturday’s Humans First protest in Birmingham. He wants people like Bridges Adams to have the information they need to make their own decisions about how data centers will impact them, especially with other proposed data center projects in Bessemer, Fairfield and Tuscaloosa.>> FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL: Facebook | YouTube | TikTok | Instagram

Birmingham residents gathered at Railroad Park in Birmingham Saturday morning as part of a nationwide protest against data centers.

It’s part of a national effort to call on local, state and federal politicians to protect people’s hometowns and way of life. One group is protesting the Nebius center under construction in the city’s Oxmoor Valley.

Joseph Baker is serving as a co-organizer of Birmingham’s Humans First protest. He wants people to have the information they need to make their own decisions about how data centers will impact them, especially with other proposed data center projects in Bessemer, Fairfield and Tuscaloosa.

A lawsuit to stop construction on that data center is on pause until next month.

The case over Nebius’ Birmingham project won’t be back in court until Aug. 12 because of a scheduling conflict.

Thursday’s hearing focused on a request from residents to stop construction. The plaintiffs argue the project’s approval violated zoning laws, but Nebius’ attorney disagrees.

“The evidence has shown, and will show, that the project was lawfully permitted,” Nebius’ attorney Charles Prueter said. “The evidence also has shown and will show that the project has been designed very thoughtfully, and it will be responsibly operated.”

One Birmingham woman said she and her family just moved into their Oxmoor Valley house four months ago. She had no idea the project was happening until after she moved there.

“I would like construction stopped,” Catherine Bridges Adams said. “I think we need more time to consider the implications of it in terms of artificial intelligence itself, but also the utilities. I think the data center protests would help people to get more knowledge about it, and I think that’s something maybe not everyone in the neighborhood knows yet.”

Joseph Baker is serving as a co-organizer of Saturday’s Humans First protest in Birmingham. He wants people like Bridges Adams to have the information they need to make their own decisions about how data centers will impact them, especially with other proposed data center projects in Bessemer, Fairfield and Tuscaloosa.

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