Tuberville reaffirms data center support, says opposition driven by China

OPELIKA, Ala. (WBRC) - U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) is reaffirming his support for data centers in Alabama, saying the facilities will bring revenue to schools, law enforcement and other public services.

Tuberville, who is running for governor, made the remarks Monday at the Alabama Sheriff’s Association annual summer conference in Opelika.

“I think there are 27 states that said we aren’t going to build data centers — we’re not going to do that,” Tuberville said. “It makes too much noise. It’s going to ruin the climate — bull crap. They are listening to all this nonsense they see on social media that’s coming from China because China does not want us to grow.”

Tuberville went on to say the state of Alabama will grow.

“We’re going to do data centers. It will help you tremendously,” Tuberville said. “The tax money that comes from those things is unbelievable for schools, for law enforcement, for anything that’s done.”

Pushback nationwide

Data centers are facing opposition across the country over concerns related to power consumption, water use, land use and potential costs. Some states are weighing bans on the facilities.

We received this statement from former U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) reacting to Tuberville’s comments. Jones is running against Tuberville in the governor’s race.

“To say this opposition is coming from China is one of the most ridiculous things Tommy Tuberville has ever said, and that’s a high bar. The people raising these concerns aren’t foreign agents. They’re Alabama families who found out about massive projects in their own communities after decisions had already been made. Instead of listening to them, Tuberville insults them.

Alabama is not a dumping ground for every data center looking for a rubber stamp. People deserve transparency before deals are cut, not after construction starts. This is about the health, safety, and quality of life of the families who live there. That’s why we need an immediate moratorium until Alabama has a real statewide plan. I’d ban non-disclosure agreements between developers and local governments, and require every approved project to have an independently funded community advisory board with the resources to hold these companies accountable.”

We reached out to Tuberville’s office about his China comment but haven’t heard back yet as of when this article was published.

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