Azimuth Moss Bluff data center, Lake Charles, Louisiana

Azimuth Renewables, a St. Louis company, has taken options on more than 1,100 acres north of Moss Bluff, near Lake Charles in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, for a proposed data center, though the land is zoned agricultural and the parish has no rule allowing data centers outside its towns. “Calcasieu Parish is one of many areas where we have secured land options to explore data center development opportunities,” Azimuth president David Bunge said in a statement.

“There's nothing wrong with having a data center. It's just there's a certain place for it and it's not Moss Bluff in a community of homes where people are raising their families,” said Lana Bodin, a longtime Moss Bluff resident. State Rep. Brett Geymann said his constituents “don't want anything industrial or heavy commercial. That's not what that community wants.” Ward 1 police juror Darby Quinn, whose property borders the land, said he is “against any industrial-sized development in Ward 1.”

No rezoning application has been filed, no parish data center ordinance exists and no timetable for writing one has been proposed, parish spokesman J.P. Booth said. Gov. Jeff Landry has signed an executive order setting requirements for data center developers, including that they supply their own power without raising other ratepayers' bills. Geymann said Azimuth has not met those standards, so he does not expect the proposal to be seriously considered for now.