A proposed 1,050-acre hyperscale data center in Lowndes County, Alabama, has sparked fierce local opposition and a broader fight over secrecy, land use, and community control — issues that are now becoming a major point of debate in the race to become governor of Alabama.
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At a campaign stop in Lowndes County, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Doug Jones called for Alabama to freeze new data center construction for one year while the state adopts transparency standards, according to the Alabama Political Reporter.
Jones described the moratorium as a short-term measure, not a permanent ban, saying the pause would give Alabama time to establish guardrails before additional communities are asked to take on developments of this size.
The proposal comes as opposition in Lowndes County remains strong over the planned 1,050-acre facility. Many residents say they still do not know what benefits have been promised, what costs could come with the project, or why so much of the process appears to unfold outside public view.
"What I see happening in Lowndes County right now is really typical of what's wrong with Alabama government," Jones said, as the Alabama Political Reporter noted. "Everything is done behind closed doors. There's no transparency … We believe that this project needs to be halted in its tracks, and we have offered at least a one-year moratorium on the new construction of any of these data centers around the state. We do not want to see Alabama become the dumping ground for data centers."
The dispute, as the outlet reported, is now part of the broader November contest, in which Jones is drawing a contrast with Republican gubernatorial nominee Tommy Tuberville, who has supported moving forward with data centers.
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The Alabama Political Reporter noted that Jones said each proposal should include a publicly available economic impact study so residents can weigh the promised benefits against potential trade-offs. Projects of this scale can shape local development patterns, public trust, and the character of a community.
Residents are not just questioning one facility. They are pushing back against a system that can leave people feeling sidelined when decisions with lasting consequences are made around them.
Jones accused Tuberville of dismissing local objections, saying the Republican candidate had described concerns about the Lowndes County project as "bullcrap."
A one-year statewide moratorium on new data centers is central to Jones' plan as Alabama works out more explicit rules. He said residents should be able to review clear economic information before public officials approve agreements that could shape their communities for decades.
Jones also argued that this should not be treated as a niche or purely partisan issue, framing it instead as a question of whether Alabama will be honest with communities before approving projects of enormous scale.
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