Whitfield County residents voice concerns over potential data center development

WHITFIELD, COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) – The discussion surrounding data centers continues to grow across northwest Georgia, and on Monday evening, concerned residents gathered outside the Whitfield County Courthouse to make their voices heard.

Protesters said they are worried about the possibility of a data center being built in Whitfield County and the impact it could have on their community.

Many residents expressed concerns about environmental impacts, water usage, and whether a data center would change their way of life.

“They need to come and give to the community rather than take and destroy,” protester Cathy Kott said. “That’s the one thing that I want to be here standing for. That’s what I want them to hear. Local residents.”

Others pointed to existing environmental concerns they believe should be addressed before any additional development is considered.

“We’re already affected by PFAS contamination by forever chemicals in our drinking water and no unified municipal plan to get us that drinking water,” protester Carmen Shuler stated.

Andrew Wilkes said he believes another large industrial development would only add to those concerns.

“We just don’t need them in our community,” Wilkes explained. “They seem to kind of trash up the community. They pollute the air, they pollute the water, and being Whitfield County, we already don’t need that with the PFAS that we have from the carpet mills.”

Some residents also voiced concerns about the broader societal effects they believe increased reliance on artificial intelligence could have.

“I also believe it makes people just lazy,” protester Maya Cedillo said. “It makes them think that they can’t do anything for themselves overall. That’s not the people of America, and it’s not the people of Dalton.”

Although no formal action regarding data centers was on the Whitfield County Commission’s agenda, residents were allowed to speak during the second public comment period at the end of the meeting.

During those comments, Cedillo also raised concerns about artificial intelligence allegedly being used for criminal activity.

“When people are sitting over here using AI for child pornography, to hear that it would be denied as a limitation, it’s very hard for me.”

Another protester, Quentin Postell encouraged officials to consider the long-term environmental impact of future decisions.

“We can always have those ethical conversations. We can have those corporate conversations. We can have those logistical conversations. Now it’s time to have the environmental one, and this is a very big environmental one,” Postell said. “I ask you gentlemen, moving forward, to really think about if your children or your grandchildren are going to have a park to play at, and whether my child and yours may someday intersect in that park.”

News 12 will continue to keep you informed as the discussion surrounding potential data center development continues in Whitfield County.