Data Centers Test Local Approval RulesData Centers Test Local Approval RulesCoverage from WYFF 4, WSPA 7NEWS, and others
00/00/0000
DailyWeekly
Large data center projects in South Carolina and Pennsylvania are testing local approval processes, with residents and officials disputing permit classifications, public review, zoning standards, and environmental impacts.
The nearly $3 billion Valara project in Spartanburg County is already under construction despite lawsuits and challenges to its private natural-gas generation, while proposed projects in Mifflin County and Milwaukee are prompting new zoning limits and procedural scrutiny. The disputes could affect project timelines, public participation, emissions, noise, infrastructure demands, and how communities regulate future facilities.
Looking Back
80 Day Timeline
Articles published over time. Hover any bar for the period and its article count.
Jun 15
Jun 29
Jul 11
Jul 25
Aug 6
Aug 20
Sep 1
History
09/03/2026
The story has moved from proposed scrutiny toward concrete regulatory and zoning actions: South Carolina regulators rejected Utility Siting Act oversight of Valara’s private generation, while Granville adopted project-specific data center rules. Valara’s scale is also more clearly defined, at up to roughly 457 megawatts.
08/29/2026
The story has shifted from primarily proposed-project disputes to active implementation at Valara, while expanding geographically as Wisconsin municipalities consider data-center-specific zoning controls.
The Valara data center and private power plant remain under construction in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, after state regulators dismissed challenges as county officials consider a moratorium on new projects.
NorthMark Strategies is constructing the Valara High Performance Computing Center in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, while residents and environmental advocates challenge emissions, permitting, and utility oversight.
PA Data Center Partners filed a Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, data center proposal July 10, two days before Granville Township’s moratorium and curative amendment zoning process began.
PA Data Center Partners filed proposed data center plans off Loop Road in Granville Township, Pennsylvania, ahead of a curative amendment agenda and an upcoming zoning amendment defining siting and noise standards.
Residents sued Spartanburg County and Valara Holdings LLC in 2020s over minor land development approvals for a $3 billion data center under construction on South Pine Street, with a July 30 hearing in Columbia.
Spartanburg County residents sued Valara Holdings in 2025 over land development permit choices and requested South Carolina regulatory review of a 450-megawatt natural gas power plan for a 4000 Pine Street data center.
Madison Plan Commission will meet June 29 to discuss the City of Madison Data Center Moratorium, focusing on building form, land use rules, and state-imposed limits tied to electricity and water demand.
South Carolina environmental officials are reviewing the Valara Holdings Center's air permit application after approving 24 natural-gas generator construction in Spartanburg County in September 2025.
Spartanburg County Council examined Valara Holdings' data center and related air-quality, noise, and permitting concerns Monday in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Granville Township postponed a July 21 town hall on a proposed data center complex after rejecting a zoning application as incomplete for a missing traffic impact study certification.
Spartanburg County residents sued Valara Holdings and county officials in 2025 over permit approvals for a $2.8 billion data center project at 4000 Pine Street.
Spartanburg County residents protested Valara Holdings' South Pine Street data center on Saturday as the company pursued a state air permit for 11 gas turbines.
7/18/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
NorthMark and Valara Holdings face permitting and community opposition in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, over Project MOC-1 and a proposed 50 MW to 450 MW power plant expansion.
Milwaukee advanced a Midtown data center zoning proposal on June 15, setting a Plan Commission public hearing for June 29 and tightening size limits and noise and energy reporting requirements.
NorthMark and Valara are building a $2.8 billion, 457-megawatt computing facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina, with construction expected through 2028.
Spartanburg County planners upheld the Lighthouse data center denial, while the South Carolina Public Service Commission rejected a challenge involving the under-construction Valara facility in South Carolina.
Spartanburg County Council in South Carolina proposed a temporary data center moratorium after tax-incentive assumptions failed, drawing public hearing opposition.
6/27/2026 • Project Finance & Incentives • General
AI Governance
Data Centers
Drones
Climate
Privacy
2026 Maine Senate
Bob Dylan
