Florida Warns Fort Meade on Hyperscale Data Center Risks

0:00It's April 16th. I'm Cory with the story, and this is Tampa Bay News today, your AI-powered local news. Fort Mead City leaders just gave the green light to a huge, hyper-scale data center campus northwest of downtown, a 4.4 million square feet. Project. But days later, Florida Commerce Secretary Jay Alex Kelly fired off a letter to Mayor Jarrett Landon Williams, warning it's nowhere near ready due to big. Rists on water, power, and infrastructure. The state zeroed in on water use, saying the projected demand is way too low for something this massive, especially in a tightly-managed central, Florida, water zone. Power needs are another headache with no solid plan on how to supply it, or who pays. Transportation and rail issues are unresolved too. Public pushback was fierce at Tuesday's commission meeting, with hours of folks voicing worries over long-term water strain and impacts. City officials stressed the approval isn't a done deal. Judging on state and regional permits, light from the southwest floor to water management.

1:02District. Kelly called out the rush process, saying key info is missing for regulators, and approvals are coming before the basics are in place, pressuring, everyone downstream. He also questioned the promise 450 jobs, noting these centers usually need tiny local crews. With so many permits still pending or not even applied for, the state says residents can relax. This vote doesn't lock it in, and plenty of public. Input lies ahead to sort these challenges.