NASHVILLE—Seemingly out of the blue over the last few weeks came a proposal to build a massive data center right next to the Nashville Zoo. In response, on June 5, the Zoo initiated an online petition that so far has garnered over 460,000 signatures, with thousands more signatures each day.
The petition is supported by the Metropolitan Nashville City Council, the Metro Nashville Public Schools Board, Mayor Freddie O’Connell, and Vice Mayor Angie Henderson.
The board of the Nashville Zoo issued a statement saying it is “vehemently opposed” to the data center, which is currently in the permitting stage. It would be larger than a football field nd sit right next to the zoo parking lot. The zoo expressed concerns that the facility could cause harm to its endangered animal species.
Zoo staff take extra precautions to ensure the animals feel safe and comfortable. It has signs posted advocating for quiet enjoyment to be observed by visitors and also limits how many visitors can be near a habitat at one time. The zoo even has an agreement in place with the Nashville International Airport to make sure air traffic doesn’t become disruptive to its animal residents.
The zoo’s petition also expressed concern about the effects that a massive new data center could have on surrounding residential neighborhoods. The petition cited “risks to diverse and vulnerable communities.” Though data centers have a wide range of commercial purposes, many in Nashville are worried about the role they can play as artificial intelligence repositories for surveillance operations and as entities to be used for war planning and execution.
Gallup polling data suggests 7 out of 10 Americans are opposed to data center construction.
Opposition continues to mount against the proposed Nashville site. In response, the Metro Council on June 9 proposed a temporary moratorium of 90 days on any new data center development. The measure passed by a 26-1 vote. The ordinance, introduced by council members Courtney Johnston and Russ Bradford, would impose a temporary halt on accepting, processing, and approving permits for any new data centers.
On June 11, the Metro Nashville Planning Commission held a public hearing to set guidelines for the construction of any future data centers. The hearing, according to local media, was attended by an “unprecedented” number of opposed residents, many of whom waited hours to make prepared remarks. The lines of people waiting to speak stretched outside the building.
The proposal got its first of three readings at the June 16 Metro Council meeting, and there will be a public hearing on the issue at the Metro Council meeting of July 7. In the meantime, thousands more continue to sign the petition every day.
The Nashville struggle against data centers is the latest local chapter in what has become a nationwide opposition to these technological behemoths.
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