Kentucky Data Center Protest Gets Loud as Residents Confront County Officials

Kentucky Residents Blast Data Center Noise at Officials Who Won’t Have to Live With It

Residents in Carroll County, Kentucky, found a loud way to protest a planned data center. During a county meeting in October, they played a harsh recording of data center noise so local officials could hear what they feared living near one might be like.

The sound quickly got under one magistrate’s skin. He interrupted the demonstration and told the group they had made their point, but the residents weren’t finished. They wanted officials to understand why the proposed development had caused so much anger.

At the center of the dispute is a massive data center project backed by DECA. County leaders see a chance for new tax revenue, while opponents worry about constant noise, higher power costs, and the loss of farmland.

The disagreement has grown into a larger fight over how Carroll County handles major developments. According to WKYT, residents confronted county officials during a special meeting before the fiscal court approved a development and community benefits agreement.

Turn It Up

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The protest took place during an October 22 fiscal court meeting. As the recording played, a magistrate stopped to address the residents, telling them they had already made their point.

One person pushed back, saying residents would have to live with the noise. Another accused county officials of making decisions without listening to the community.

The exchange exposed a growing divide. Residents wanted more say over a project that could change the area around their homes. County leaders, meanwhile, were working on an agreement meant to bring investment and financial benefits to Carroll County.

The fiscal court did not approve the agreement that day. Members tabled the matter after the county attorney raised concerns about language that could leave the county facing legal risks. The court returned on October 28 and approved the deal.

Will It Be Loud?

Data centers contain thousands of servers that process and store information. Those machines produce heat, so the buildings need cooling systems to keep them running.

Large fans, chillers, and other equipment can create a steady hum. Depending on the design, some facilities can produce sounds that reach beyond their property lines.

Unlike construction noise, which usually stops when work ends, a data center may operate around the clock. That is why nearby residents often want to know what the sound will be like at night.

The recording played in Carroll County was a protest tool, not a measurement of noise from the proposed development. Its volume during the meeting cannot establish how loud the finished campus would be.

DECA has addressed this concern on its project website. The developer says the proposed campus will use setbacks, landscaping, and careful placement to limit noise near surrounding properties.

The company also says the buildings will not be loud without on-site power generation. Residents, however, have continued to question what protections will be in place once the facility is operating.

Two Big Projects

The conflict is bigger than one development. Kentucky Public Radio reported that Carroll County has two separate data center proposals.

One involves the Carrollton Industrial Campus, a project backed by Poe Companies and PowerHouse Data Centers. Its developers have estimated an investment of $9.6 billion.

That plan sparked complaints about transparency after residents learned Carrollton Mayor Robb Adams had signed an option to sell city property to the developer. Some also questioned possible conflicts of interest involving local officials.

The separate DECA project near Ghent is the one tied to the fiscal court’s October agreement and the noise demonstration.

For opponents, the issue goes beyond where these buildings will stand. They are also concerned about how much farmland could disappear and whether the projects might raise utility costs for other customers.

DECA says its project will pay for its own power infrastructure and use a closed-loop cooling system to limit water demand. Those are the developer’s stated plans, rather than results from an operating facility.

The $5 Million Deal

On October 28, the Carroll County Fiscal Court approved its development and community benefits agreement with DECA.

According to Citizen Portal’s account of the meeting, the agreement includes a $5 million community fund and protections meant to address local concerns.

DECA has also published estimates suggesting its campus could eventually generate $40 million annually for the county, schools, and other local institutions by 2034. Those figures are projections, not revenue already collected.

For residents who object to the development, the concern is whether the financial promises will outweigh the changes to their community.

The project remains in the planning and permitting stage, according to DECA’s website. Construction and operations are still listed as future phases, while the county’s October 28 vote authorized officials to move ahead with the agreement.