Wedding & Event Venue near McCormick, SC

MCCORMICK, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) —Nearly 400 residents packed the Mims Center on Tuesday night to hear plans for a controversial 1,000-acre data center and natural gas pipeline in McCormick County.

Pollard Lumber Company hosted the information session to outline the proposal for its property located between Whitetown Road and Main Street, just miles from downtown McCormick.

Mark Koeppen, who lives in McCormick, noted the massive turnout for the event.

“To have close to 400 people out of a county of 10,000, that’s a very large percentage that showed up to hear what was going on here tonight,” said Koeppen.

Company officials stated that the project would bring a natural gas pipeline to the county in partnership with Kinder Morgan.

Under the proposal, the pipeline would be 100% funded by the data center’s user at a cost of $200 million to $280 million.

Bert Pollard of Pollard Lumber Company argued that the infrastructure additions would benefit the county.

“There’s 250 miles of water line,” said Pollard. “There’s 50 miles of sewer and there’s no gas lines currently. So obviously the data center will bring the gas line. And will upgrade the water and sewer infrastructure that exists.”

Pollard stated the project would also fund upgrades to the county’s aging water and sewer infrastructure and could double the county’s budget through tax revenue.

The site would be 100% gas-powered, take six years to build, and use 300,000 to 500,000 gallons of water per day once operational.

Despite the promised economic benefits, many residents voiced strong opposition to the plans.

Some attendees noted that officials refused to share specific details about the path of the pipeline due to a non-disclosure agreement.

“They won’t tell us where the gas line is or where it’s proposed to go,” said Chris Holmes, McCormick resident. “They can’t give those specifics. So that’s kind of important.”

Other neighbors expressed concern over how the project would impact their quiet community.

“I think there’s a great deal of concern about the quality of life in McCormick,” said Holmes. “They’re asking people to rush through a decision and they’re saying trust us. And it doesn’t work out real well often.”

Another resident, who hoped to retire in the area, feared the landscape would be altered permanently.

“I want to retire here. And so do most of my friends that I know here,” said David Poole, McCormick resident. “We just love this area and it’s going to be spoiled.”

The McCormick County Planning Commission has already recommended a .

The McCormick County Council is scheduled to consider the moratorium at its Aug. 18 meeting, though the council chairman noted the county has not yet received a formal application.

McCORMICK, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Residents showed up to a McCormick County Council meeting to oppose a possible data center on Tuesday, even though the topic was not on the agenda.

A planning commission meeting is scheduled for July 30, where members will take up the second reading of a data center ordinance.

Most of those who attended the council meeting asked for more time and additional information before any decisions are made.

“Right now we do not have enough information about the risk or the solutions or the benefits,” one resident said. “A moratorium of at least a year would give us time to research. I would also be very supportive of a referendum on the November ballot so the citizens can vote on this.”

Neighbors have started a petition calling for a 12-month pause on any data center approvals in McCormick County.

A public meeting drew a packed crowd to the McCormick Country Club on Monday as residents raised concerns about a possible data center project.

Neighbors described the area as a rural community centered around the lake, tourism and natural resources.

“So it’s a super rural community. The largest part of it is a retirement community. It’s on the water and it’s on the lake. So it’s a natural resource kind of community, a tourism community. We are pro-business, we are for the industry, but we need the protections in place,” a resident explained.

The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration has picked engineering firm Amentum to begin negotiating a lease.

The data center was not listed on the commission’s agenda, but neighbors said they believe the project will still come up for discussion.

Residents have raised concerns about noise, heavy water use and strain on local resources.

Data centers seem to be a big topic this week in the CSRA:

Augusta leaders on Tuesday to extend a moratorium on new data centers by 60 days, adding three public hearings before any vote on a permanent ordinance.

The federal government on Monday announced , complete with its own power facility.

MCCORMICK, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - McCormick County Council Chairman Bernie Hamby says county staff is preparing a proposed temporary moratorium on data centers .

In a statement to residents, Hamby said he has instructed the county administrator to draft the proposed moratorium. Once it is written, Hamby said it will be sent to the McCormick County Planning Commission for review and recommendation before appearing on an upcoming County Council agenda.

The next regular meeting of McCormick County Council is currently scheduled for Aug. 18, according to Hamby.

Hamby emphasized that any moratorium would have to move through a public process before final action.

That process, he said, includes:

Hamby also addressed why county staff previously drafted a data center ordinance.

He said that under the county’s current zoning ordinance, data centers are already permitted in the county’s Service/Industrial zoning district and that there are currently no county-specific standards or restrictions governing them.

Hamby said the earlier draft ordinance was intended to create a baseline set of regulations and protections before any development proposal is submitted, with the expectation that it would be reviewed, amended and strengthened during the Planning Commission process and through three County Council readings.

Hamby said the county has not received an application or development proposal for a data center and that County Council has not approved or committed to any project.

“While we recognize that data center developers have expressed interest in our region, there is no active proposal before the County to consider,” Hamby said.

He also said he is not aware of anyone associated with McCormick County signing a non-disclosure agreement related to a data center project.

What’s next

Hamby said county leaders plan to continue gathering information and considering stronger protections, while also encouraging state lawmakers to explore statewide standards.

He thanked residents for attending the recent council meeting and said county officials will continue the process “openly” and “with opportunities for public input every step of the way.”