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Henry County Planning Commission tables proposal for 'technology park' after debate from neighbors

Henry County tables proposal for 'technology park' after debate from neighbors
Henry County Data Center
Henry County Technology Park
No Data Center
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NEW CASTLE — A potential data center was cause for debate at the Henry County Planning Commission meeting Thursday.

The commission voted 6-2 at the public hearing to table the review and certification of an outline plan for a Planned Unit Development or PUD.

Henry County Technology Park

This came after about an hour of public comment from dozens in support and against the project.

The commission will reconsider the proposal at its next meeting on November 20.

“We always support when communities want more information and want to learn about a project. This is a big deal. The fact that they want to do their due diligence makes complete sense," Developer Chris King said.

GM Development Companies LLC and Surge Development LLC plan to develop an advanced technology park at the roughly 585-acre site at the NW Corner of the intersection of Interstate-70 and State Road 109.

“We see this development as an opportunity that can help to pay for that. We see that there’s tax revenue that can cover this project that’s gonna support Knightstown Schools and Henry County," King said.

Kiley Blalock owns farmland right next to the site.

The land has been in her family for generations and says a quarter of their livelihood depends on it.

No Data Center

“We are row crop farmers. We do corn and soybeans. We use that to grind feed and we feed out cattle. We also sell to our neighbors," Blalock said.

Blalock’s main concern is water use and how the development is going to change the topography of the land.

“A lot of what we do is manage the flow of water, because water moves soil. It can take out crops. It can drown out crops. That’s gonna impact our yields. In addition to how water moves, we’re also concerned about how much water will be used," she said.

It’s a similar story for Randy Kemerly, who owns Hidden Acres Fruit Farm, which sits about a mile away from the proposed site.

“We operate on a shallow well, which is only 50 feet deep, so if the data center does use a lot of water, it could potentially drop our water table and cause our wells to go dry," Kemerly said.

King says he hears residents’ concerns.

Here are some commitments the developers plan to make to Henry County:

  • Water — This project will not drill any on-site wells. We will partner with Knightstown to extend municipal water and sewer service and we will prioritize low-water, air-cooled, and closed-loop systems. We will maintain full transparency regarding water and wastewater usage to Henry County residents, elected officials, and the plan commission.
  • Power — This project will develop co-located, low emission, high-efficiency generation systems at no cost to local taxpayers or utility ratepayers. We will work in partnership with Henry County REMC and Hoosier Energy to create an opportunity for a grid-positive energy solution that strengthens local reliability.
  • Noise — This project will fully comply with Henry County’s strict noise regulations to ensure surrounding properties are protected.
  • Environmental — This project will meet or exceed all EPA, IDEM, and Henry County environmental and emission standards to ensure responsible, sustainable development.
  • Local Revenues — This project will generate significant new tax revenues for Henry County, Knightstown Schools, public safety, and utilities—reducing pressure on residential taxpayers and supporting long-term community investment.

“What our focus has been is to solve those issues. That’s why we’re bringing our own power. We’re focusing on getting next to a natural gas pipeline, where we have the ability to do generation on site," he said.

But still, neighbors in the audience stood firm with their concerns.

Roughly 1,700 signed the 'No Henry County Data Center' petition.

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