Alabama and Florida Cities Weigh Bans on Data Centers

City councils in Prichard, Alabama, and Panama City Beach, Florida, are weighing restrictive measures against the development of data centers. In Prichard, Council President Traci Hale introduced a resolution for a 480-day temporary moratorium on new data center permits. This move follows community opposition to a proposed $93 million project by Edged Energy on Telegraph Road.

Simultaneously, the Panama City Beach city council held a first reading of an ordinance to permanently ban large data centers that consume five megawatts or more of power. Councilman Ethan Register supported the ban, arguing that such facilities fail to provide sufficient long-term employment and threaten local natural resources. Register stated that data centers only bring jobs for the construction phase and become self-sufficient afterward.

Neither council has held a final vote on these measures, but both actions signal a growing local government skepticism regarding the economic and environmental impact of large-scale digital infrastructure.