A packed Escambia County Commission chamber turned emotional Wednesday as residents urged county leaders to reject the possibility of large-scale data centers coming to Escambia County.
The public forum stretched for two hours with a series of passionate comments from residents who raised concerns about environmental impacts, public health, utility demand, and what they described as a pattern of industrial development disproportionately affecting lower-income communities.
Harlan Wollner, attending his first county meeting, introduced himself as an Army veteran who served two tours in Iraq.
“Service to our community, service to life, service to our people should be an ideal that we strive for,” Wollner told commissioners. “Please, serve us, take care of us, take care of our land, take care of our waters, take care of our soils. Please don’t let them come in.”
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Arnita Welcome, also an Army veteran, told commissioners she opposed data centers and connected that concern to experiences she says communities have had with industrial development.
“I do vote no to data centers,” Welcome said.
She said she had lost friends and family members to cancer and referenced neighborhoods she believes were harmed by development decisions.
Welcome then asked commissioners to clarify whether county leaders were considering a moratorium or a ban.
County Attorney Alison Rogers responded directly.
“If we get to that point, what I’m going to be recommending is a ban, actually.”
The comment drew applause from the audience.
But as the meeting continued, officials emphasized that no proposal currently exists.
After public comment ended, FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance CEO Chris Platé addressed the room to respond to what he described as misconceptions about the issue.
“FloridaWest has never been in active negotiations to build a data center,” Platé said. “There is no proposal, no incentive commitment, and no pending public action before this board, PEDC, or FloridaWest.”
Platé said FloridaWest receives inquiries from many industries and that reviewing those inquiries is part of its role in economic development.
“Responding to any inquiry, or doing the due diligence that we need to do, that is our responsibility,” Platé said. “It is not recruiting a company. It is not endorsing, and it is not approving a project.”
Platé also said FloridaWest does not pursue what he described as “standalone or hyperscale data centers,” adding that regional power capacity would not support that type of development.
“The large-scale box that some people are trying to, or they’re picturing in their mind, is not coming here,” he added.
Commissioner Lumon May said he had never been briefed on a data center proposal and said concerns raised by residents mirrored concerns he would have if one were ever proposed.
“Had I had a conversation, I would have simply reminded them of Wedgewood,” May said, referencing past environmental concerns in Escambia County.
He continued by describing where he believes controversial projects historically end up.
“It’s going to go north in Century, or it’s going to go in the hood,” May said. “We know exactly if they were going to put something where they would propose to put it.”
May said economic development should not come at the expense of residents’ health.
“So often we think that we are patronizing and giving the undeserved because they just need jobs,” May said. “I mean, jobs that kill you, you’ll never be able to get a retirement.”
May told residents he understood why so many people showed up.
“Citizens deserve to know the information,” he said. “And citizens should know that there are no data centers that are coming into their neighborhood.”
Other commissioners echoed that there were no active negotiations underway and suggested legal staff may return with options for future policy discussion.
The meeting closed with commissioners reiterating that any major project would ultimately require public action and public votes before moving forward.
