Bessemer City Council greenlights controversial data center rezoning 

City leaders unmoved by community’s transparency, environmental concerns 

BESSEMER, Ala.– Today the Bessemer City Council voted to approve a rezoning request for a hyperscale data center, despite widespread opposition from residents with serious concerns about environmental impacts and transparency about the project. 

“Our community, the city of Bessemer, and other parts of Jefferson County will have to live with this reckless plan for years to come,” said Janice Sanders, President of the Red Mountain Heights Community Association. “We are left with more questions than answers—decisions of this magnitude should not happen behind closed doors.” 

“We are incredibly disappointed that the Bessemer City Council has approved the rezoning proposal for a project that would irreparably change our peaceful neighborhood and our quality of life,” said David Havron, President of Rock Mountain Lake Landowner’s Association. “It is deeply concerning that local leaders still refuse to provide any information or transparency around who is behind this massive project, especially for communities who will bear the brunt.”  

“By greenlighting this project while ignoring serious questions and public records requests, the Bessemer City Council has let down the very communities it is supposed to serve,” said Charles Miller, Policy Director for Alabama Rivers Alliance. “We remain confident that this project will not come to fruition in its current form, and ARA will support neighbors in their continuing fight to ensure that their questions are answered, and their homes, livelihoods, and communities are protected.” 

“Bessemer residents and surrounding communities have every right to be frustrated at this result,” said Ryan Anderson, a staff attorney in SELC’s Alabama office. “For months, citizens showed up to meetings, desperate to speak with city leaders after emails and phone calls about this project went unanswered. The city’s lack of transparency and concern for this project’s potential impacts is truly disheartening.” 

“Project Marvel” is a hyperscale data center proposal that would be built in Bessemer, Alabama. The project would be one of the largest data centers in the world, including 18 buildings larger than an average Walmart Supercenter. The Bessemer City Council voted to rezone 100 acres of forested land from agricultural to light industrial to allow the project to move forward. Other project concerns include:  

• Transparency concerns because several Bessemer officials signed non-disclosure agreements with developers behind the project.  

• Noise impacts from computers running 24 hours a day. 

• Air pollution risks because of possible back up diesel generators and other coal and gas energy sources. 

• Water impacts because the project could use 2-10 million gallons of water a day.  

• Possible energy and utility bill impacts because the project could use more than 10 times the energy of all residential Birmingham residents combined.  

Five out of the seven councilors voted to approve the rezoning request, with Councilors Thigpen and King voting against the project.