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H2 , Segment 1 - Spartanburg residents oppose a massive new data center project.
Published 2 months, 2 weeks ago
Description
During The Charlie James Show on July 21, 2026, host Charlie James interviewed Eric Allison from the "No Data Centers in Spartanburg" Facebook group regarding the Spartanburg County Council meeting. Tensions ran high as council members referred to concerned citizens as "the mob," sparking outrage among residents. Despite heated public opposition over environmental, health, and quality-of-life concerns—including air pollution, extreme noise, heavy water usage, and local chemical storage—the council unanimously passed the second reading of a 12-month data center moratorium. However, the moratorium does not halt the massive 450-megawatt natural gas-powered facility currently under construction. Residents expressed deep frustration, arguing that local officials failed to perform due diligence and granted the developer a 40-year tax break (reducing taxes from 10% to 4%) in exchange for only 27 jobs.