WHITESBURG, Ky. (WXKQ) – The Letcher Fiscal Court has approved a two-year moratorium on new artificial intelligence data centers following concerns from residents about a proposed natural gas-fired power plant and future AI development near the Gateway Regional Business Park in Jenkins.
The unanimous vote also requires environmental impact studies before any future data center projects can move forward.
Residents raised concerns about water use, noise, pollution, wildlife, tourism and potential impacts on nearby neighborhoods.
County officials said they only learned of the proposal after documents became public through an Open Records request and emphasized that many details remain unknown.