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Memphis City Council Meeting Descends Into Chaos Over Data Center Vote
Developing
In Short: The Memphis City Council meeting on Tuesday night devolved into chaos after lawmakers postponed a vote on a proposed yearlong moratorium on new data centers.
The Memphis City Council meeting on Tuesday night devolved into chaos after lawmakers postponed a vote on a proposed yearlong moratorium on new data centers. Protesters inside City Hall chanted, 'This is our city,' and 'Show me what democracy looks like,' as police cleared the chamber.
The council voted 7-5 to delay the moratorium vote until Oct. 20. Council member J.B. Smiley, the lead sponsor of the moratorium proposal, said the council should have done more to listen to residents who attended the meeting.
'When the community shows up, we just have to listen to them,' Smiley said. Mayor Paul Young has called for more rules governing data centers, emphasizing the need to address their water and electricity use, air quality, noise, and location.
'We need to keep the pressure high and make sure that we get the guardrails in place that we need for our community to feel protected,' Young told WREG. Some residents have raised concerns about the impact of data centers on their neighborhoods.
The postponement of the vote led to a fight breaking out in the lobby, though no one was detained or injured, according to a Memphis Police Department spokesperson.
Council member Tami Sawyer criticized Smiley, saying, 'That’s all he does; he brings up mess.' Another council member, Tisha Warren, argued that passing a moratorium would discourage data centers from coming to Memphis.
'If we pass a moratorium, there’s no reason for them to think they need to come here,' Warren said, according to WREG.
The proposal comes as Elon Musk’s SpaceXAI operates its massive Colossus supercomputer facilities in the Memphis area, raising concerns about the environmental and community impacts of such facilities.
What this adds
The fight that broke out in the lobby was not directly connected to the council meeting, according to reports.
The Memphis City Council is composed of 13 members: 7 single-district members and 6 'super district' members.
Background
House Speaker Mike Johnson called opposition to AI data centers a 'Chinese psyop' during an interview on Fox News, repeating the claim on Monday.
In addition to the data center bill, the Senate is also considering a bill designed to prohibit congressional stock trading.
The Memphis City Council is the legislative branch of government for the city of Memphis, Tennessee. It is made up of 13 members: 7 single-district members and 6 "super district" members.
What's still developing
- Seven council members voted to postpone the measure, while five opposed the delay.
- "That’s all you do, J.B. Smiley, confuse the people over, over, over and over!"
- "They get the same benefit from going to DeSoto County, Crittenden County, Fayette County, Tipton County."
- "There’s a role for all of our agencies to play in ensuring we put the proper guardrails in place. The thing that I want to make sure is that we do it expeditiously."
- "I’m disappointed that we didn’t listen with ears, okay, I hear you, I understand. Let’s figure out how we can do what you want, but also what we believe would be in the best interest of the community."