As more people learn about a proposed data center right outside the city limits of Sheridan, the more citizens are questioning county officials and investigating what may be coming to their community.
A group of citizens against the data center plan to protest around 4:45 p.m. tonight until the Quorum Court meeting starts at 6 p.m.
"The data center and solar farm projects will directly impact the environment ecosystem and the people living in the area as well," Colton Clark, a concerned citizen, told the Reckoning.
The proposed data center came front and center last summer in Sheridan. That's when the Quorum Court initially publicly discussed a proposed data center and solar farm that would be right on the outskirts of Sheridan.
Citizens, who had no idea the Justices of the Peace were considering voting on two resolutions to allow a data center and solar farm, packed into a July 21 Quorum Court meeting demanding answers.
Brody Channell, a concerned citizen, then sued the county pro se for Freedom of Information violations. He lost that lawsuit.
Read about the lawsuit here.
Suzi Parker
Channell and wife, Courtney, then began a mission to educate Grant County residents about data centers and to question how a Texas company, Clean Cloud, came to discover their rural county.
A Facebook group called "Stop Grant County Data Center" has more than a 1,000 members. Channell has had signs printed with hundreds more on the way this week.
"So many people didn't even know this data center could be happening here," Channell told the Reckoning. "They are starting to learn about it and they don’t want it."
Is it too late?
The Quorum Court has already voted on two resolutions to explore allowing tax abatements for the data center and an accompanying solar farm.
At the heart of the business dealings with the county is a company called Clean Cloud.
Clean Cloud is based in Austin, Texas, and New York. The company "works closely with end users of data centers, utilities and regulators to co-locate utility scale energy projects with data centers," according to its website.
Clean Cloud has lobbied the Sheridan School District and business leaders for support in the data center.
In the October Quorum Court meeting, Sheridan School District's football coach, Kevin Kelley, spoke in favor of the data center as did another coach Rick Treadway. Both touted the economic benefits of the data center for the school district.
Suzi Parker
At last month's Quorum Court meeting, George Murray, a new resident to Sheridan with a background in the energy sector, gave a presentation about data centers.
County Judge Randy Pruitt told the Reckoning previously Murray is helping to educate himself and the Quorum Court on the complexities of data centers.
The Quorum Court agenda for tonight does not mention any data center business. The Reckoning has been told the topic will not be brought up in Quorum Court official business.
However, many citizens have questions, and they want answers from local officials.
