A battle over a massive proposed data center campus in Coweta County, Georgia, is intensifying as homeowners say they are being pushed off their longtime family land to make room for new power infrastructure. 

At the center of the dispute is Project Sail, a reported $17 billion development, along with a lawsuit from local residents who say the approval process skipped key zoning and wetlands review steps.

What's happening?

According to a report from WSB-TV, 20 residents have filed a lawsuit challenging approvals connected to Project Sail, a sprawling planned data center campus. According to the complaint, county officials approved the project despite alleged zoning violations and without properly reviewing roughly 103 acres of wetlands tied to the site.

At the same time, some families say the project's effects are already extending well beyond the campus footprint. 

In a recent video, Coweta County resident and creator Ansley said Georgia Power is using easement rights to force homeowners to sell land for transmission expansion needed to serve the new data centers. She said her own family is among those affected and described elderly residents and multigenerational property owners being pressured to give up homes and land.

@ansleysgarden I made 2 videos explaining how our local power company was forcing home owners to sell their properties and homes in order to service upcoming data centers. These videos were banned. #stopai #stopdatacenters #cowetacounty #newnan #freedomofspeech ♬ original sound - Ansley's garden 🌻

"Nobody in this town wants a … data center," she said in the video, adding that families are being forced to sell so homes can be demolished and power lines extended.

The local opposition reflects a broader pattern unfolding nationwide as utilities and developers race to keep up with surging electricity demand from data centers.

Why is this concerning?

Large data centers can put major pressure on local land, water, and electricity systems, especially when projects move ahead faster than community oversight. If wetlands were not properly reviewed, that could raise concerns about flooding, habitat loss, and the destruction of natural areas that help absorb stormwater and protect nearby communities.

There is also a larger question of who ends up paying for this buildout. New high-voltage transmission lines, substations, and other grid upgrades often require land access far beyond the data center site itself. 

The issue is especially significant because AI-driven data centers can also consume enormous amounts of electricity and water and raise local utility costs.

What's being done about Project Sail?

For now, the clearest response is the lawsuit itself. Residents are asking the courts to examine whether Coweta County followed its own rules when approving the project and whether wetland impacts should have triggered a closer review.

Community members are also continuing to speak out publicly, organize locally, and push officials to reconsider how locations are picked for large industrial projects. In cases like this, stronger protections can include more transparent zoning hearings, earlier environmental review, better disclosure of water and power demand, and utility planning that clearly shows who will pay for grid upgrades.

More broadly, state and local leaders can reduce harm by requiring data center developers to use cleaner power, improve energy efficiency, limit water use, and avoid sensitive lands such as wetlands whenever possible. 

Communities can also push for policies that prevent homeowners from unfairly carrying the burden of infrastructure expansion.

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