Palm Beach Commissioners Reject 600MW Datacenter Expansion 5-1 as Everglades Heat and Algae Fears Mount
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Aug 12
Palm Beach Commissioners Reject 600MW Datacenter Expansion 5-1 as Everglades Heat and Algae Fears Mount
1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 12
Summary
A 5-1 Palm Beach County commission vote denied expansion of Project Tango after more than 12 hours of testimony over the proposed 600MW hyperscale datacenter.
Environmental opponents said waste heat from the site near the Everglades could warm connected canals and worsen toxic cyanobacteria blooms, a risk heightened by a July 30 health alert for Lake Okeechobee.
Residents and local groups also cited noise, traffic, higher power bills and the project's proximity—about 1,200 feet—to an elementary school, while the developer said a closed-loop cooling system would limit water use.
PBA Holdings said it has spent $20 million on approvals and power reliability work and is weighing next steps; two administrative applications that could add square footage remain pending.
The fight now shifts to countywide rules, with commissioners set to vote next month on a moratorium for large-scale datacenters as Florida counties tighten scrutiny of energy-hungry projects.