Small alabama town with manhattan project history quietly approves $6 billion data center despite environmental concerns

The small town of Childersburg, Alabama, population 5,000, has unanimously approved zoning changes that could pave the way for a massive $6 billion hyperscale data center project. The decision came during a Tuesday City Council meeting characterized by what observers described as “few questions and fewer answers” regarding the environmental and community impacts of the proposed facility.

Located south of Birmingham, Childersburg carries significant historical weight as a former Manhattan Project site, where uranium was processed during World War II. Now, this same community faces another industrial transformation that could dramatically alter its landscape and resources. Hyperscale data centers are massive facilities that consume enormous amounts of electricity and water for cooling, raising concerns about strain on local infrastructure and environmental resources.

The lack of public detail about the project has left residents and environmental advocates with more questions than answers. While Mayor Lee Hedgepeth frames the development as potentially transformative for the small town’s economy, critics worry about the environmental burden such a facility could impose on a community with limited resources to manage the impacts.

The unanimous approval suggests local officials see economic opportunity in the proposal, but the secretive nature of the decision-making process raises concerns about transparency and community input. As data centers continue proliferating across the country to meet growing digital demands, small towns like Childersburg find themselves weighing short-term economic benefits against long-term environmental and infrastructure challenges.