Palm Beach County Delays Hiring Data Center Consultant
Palm Beach County Commissioners voted 4-1 to delay hiring a consulting firm to develop regulations for large-load data centers amid conflict-of-interest concerns.
The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners voted 4-1 to delay the hiring of Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB), a consulting firm proposed to help develop regulations for large-load data centers. The proposed contract, valued at approximately $225,000, faced opposition from residents and commissioners who cited potential conflicts of interest due to VHB's previous work for data center clients in Massachusetts and Virginia.
While some commissioners argued that technical expertise is necessary to establish environmental and community impact standards before a one-year moratorium expires, others viewed the expenditure as a waste of taxpayer funds. In response to these concerns, commissioners agreed to discuss creating a formal community task force to increase resident involvement in the regulatory process.
The commission will review alternative consultants and the potential task force at a Zoning Public Hearing on November 18. This delay does not affect the previously approved Project Tango data center.
