Pinellas County Commissioner Kathleen Peters said Thursday she would like to discuss a county ban on large data centers, citing worries about water usage and rising energy costs.
Gandy Boulevard, she said, is currently being eyed for a new center.
“If it’s something that this commission is going to entertain, I think it’s something we’d have to expedite,” she said during a board work session.
Peters said if the county cannot legally ban data centers, she would like to emulate Brevard County, which recently voted against tax breaks for artificial intelligence data centers.
“At the very minimum, I would like to take the same action here and protect our constituents from having to have higher energy costs and that usage of water, when water is so precious here right now,” she said. “This isn’t the first time we’ve had severe drought.”
Peters’ idea was met with support from other commissioners. The board did not take an official vote.
“I don’t think we want them here,” said Commissioner Chris Scherer. “They’re going to just drive up our power costs, and they’re going to eat up all our water.”
Florida lawmakers passed statewide regulations on data centers earlier this year in Tallahassee, although the bill has yet to be sent to DeSantis for his signature. They are designed to prevent Floridians from having their electric bills rise because of data centers and protect water sources from running dry.
However, lawmakers weakened the bill before passage, stripping out a ban on government officials signing nondisclosure agreements with data center companies as well as additional requirements for data centers located near schools or homes.
Times staff reporter Emily L. Mahoney contributed to this report.
