Tommy Tuberville wants Alabama to ‘do data centers.’ Come see what that might look like.

This is an opinion column.

Senator Tommy Tuberville is planting his flag on a specific economic agenda for Alabama: he wants to bring data centers to the state. He is making it clear this is not a one-off remark or a political slip-up, but a core component of his vision for the state's growth.

In fact, Tuberville has labeled public apprehension regarding these massive industrial projects as "bullcrap." During a recent address to the Alabama Sheriffs Association, he suggested that resistance to these facilities is rooted in misinformation fueled by international interests rather than local concerns. "We’re going to do data centers," the senator declared.

The Reality of Data Center Expansion

Tuberville’s push for data centers arrives at a time when other regions are seeing a political backlash against them. In Georgia, for instance, voters recently crossed party lines to elect Public Service Commission candidates who campaigned on curbing further data center development. It serves as a reminder that when it comes to industrial zoning, the public’s sentiment is often more powerful than party affiliation.

To understand what a landscape dominated by these facilities looks like, one only needs to visit Sterling, Virginia. Once a quiet town, it has been transformed into a hub for massive tech infrastructure. The area is now packed with enormous concrete structures that dwarf the surrounding trees—a visual experience one observer compared to the loading dock of the Death Star.

Industrial Impact vs. Community Needs

The concerns from residents in heavily developed areas like Sterling often center on noise and power consumption. Many of these centers utilize "behind-the-meter" power generation, which involves running continuous, massive gas-fired generators. The environmental and quality-of-life impact of having such machinery operating near residential zones is a significant point of contention.

Beyond the noise, there is the question of economic utility. Unlike traditional manufacturing, such as paper mills, modern data centers often provide limited long-term job growth once construction concludes. There is also the potential for these projects to consume land, water, and electricity resources that might otherwise support more job-intensive industries.

The Question of Local Control

Whether a community chooses to trade its natural landscape for a data center is a decision that should rest with the residents who have to live with the consequences. It is a decision that must be made by the community, not by opaque developers or public officials tethered to nondisclosure agreements.

As Tuberville doubles and triples down on his stance, the people of Alabama are left to consider the costs. While the senator has clearly made up his mind, there is still time for Alabamians to decide what they want their own backyards to look like.