Birmingham animal shelter joins opposition against proposed multibillion dollar ‘AI factory’

The Greater Birmingham Humane Society (GBHS) is officially pushing back against plans for a 75-acre Nebius AI factory slated for the Oxmoor Valley neighborhood. Joining a growing chorus of opposition, the organization is raising alarms about the facility's proximity to their upcoming animal medical campus.

Concerns over a healing environment

In a Change.org petition launched on June 5, the GBHS highlights the potential risks of locating such a massive industrial operation just 1,200 feet from a site designed to house and treat vulnerable animals. The society argues that injured, abused, and neglected animals require a peaceful, stable environment to recover—a standard they fear will be compromised by the noise, heat, traffic, light pollution, and high resource demand associated with the AI project.

“We believe vulnerable animals deserve protection,” GBHS stated in the petition, which has gathered more than 10,000 signatures as of June 14. “We cannot afford to discover years from now that this facility harmed the animals we exist to protect.”

Legislative and legal battles continue

The pushback comes as the city continues to navigate its relationship with data center developers. During a heated meeting on June 9, the Birmingham City Council voted 6-3 to pass new, stringent regulations for data centers. While these rules will govern future or expanding projects once the city’s current six-month moratorium lifts, officials have noted that the Nebius project faces limited interference under the current permitting process unless it undergoes expansion.

Despite the new ordinance and public assurances from leadership regarding their inability to stall current permits, the project remains the target of a pending lawsuit brought by homeowners aimed at blocking the construction.

205focus.com reporting contributed to this update.