SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Spartanburg County Council returns Thursday, Oct. 22, for a special session on the Valara data center, the South Pine Street project already under construction, after members did not pass the first reading of its development agreement on Monday.
Members plan to go behind closed doors at noon to talk through contract terms with Valara Holdings, then reconvene in public, where a first-reading vote on the ordinance could follow. The session is at the county administration building, 366 North Church Street.
Data centers have been a running fight on council this fall. The county put a one-year moratorium in place, then amended it four ways so projects under 65 megawatts can still move ahead if their location and power source pass muster. Council has already signed off on a separate agreement for a center planned at 300 Jones Road.
Air quality is part of the debate. At the Oct. 19 meeting, council approved a resolution asking the state Department of Environmental Services to add an air monitor on the east side of the city, in an area east of Old Petrie Road bounded by highways 29 and 9.
That request grew out of concern over pollution from gas-fired turbines rated at 457 megawatts that will run the NorthMark data center near Pine Street neighborhoods. DES runs a monitor at the former T.K. Gregg Recreation Center and is setting up a replacement near Tiger Park on the Northside.
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