6/5/26 @ 8:50 a.m.

Thank you to everyone who attended Tuesday’s Nassau County Fact-Finding Committee on Data Center Development workshop and participated in the ongoing community discussion.

We also extend our appreciation to Tuesday’s presenters for sharing their expertise and perspectives:
• Kim Dinkins, Policy and Planning Director, 1000 Friends of Florida
• Emily Floore, Executive Director, St. Marys Riverkeeper
• Jennifer Bryla, First Coast Board of the Florida Chapter of the APA & Northeast Florida Regional Council.

Audio from the June 2, 2026 meeting can be found on our website at https://nassaufl.co/DataCenters-FactFinding. 

The next workshop session will take place on Monday, June 8, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in the Commission Chambers.
Scheduled presenters include:
• Jeff Hendry, Executive Director, North Florida Economic Development Partnership
• Bruce Jackson, First Vice President, CBRE Group Inc.
• Colleen Gillis, CEO, Curata Partners
• Ralph Forbes, Vice President/Regional Director, Thomas & Hutton
• Michelle Cullum, Lead Economic Development Project Manager for Florida Power & Light
• Danielle Ruiz, Commercial Asset Partners.

Residents are encouraged to attend, stay informed, and participate in the fact-finding process. Additional meeting information, presentation materials, video recordings, and the public comment portal are available at https://nassaufl.co/DataCenters-FactFinding.

6/2/26 @ 11:00 a.m.

Thank you to everyone who attended yesterday’s first Nassau County Fact-Finding Committee on Data Center Development meeting, including our presenters, committee members, and community residents who participated in the discussion and shared feedback.

A special thank you to yesterday’s presenters:
• Dr. Tom Hoctor, Director for the Center of Landscape Conservation Planning at the University of Florida
• Margaret Kirkland, Conserve Nassau
• Chadd Charland, Florida Native Plant Society.

Missed the meeting? Presentation materials and a video recording are available on the County’s webpage: https://nassaufl.co/DataCenters-FactFinding
​
The next workshop will take place today at 5:00 p.m. at West Nassau High School. Residents are invited to attend, learn more about the topic, and participate in the process. Those unable to attend in person may also submit comments through the online portal available on the webpage.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Communications Officer

5/26/26 @ 6:30 p.m.

​The Nassau County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) has approved the establishment of the Nassau County Fact-Finding Committee on Data Center Development as part of the County’s ongoing evaluation of data center development and related public policy considerations.

The BOCC is considering a temporary (up to twelve months) moratorium ordinance, to allow County Commissioners and staff sufficient time to evaluate the operational characteristics, infrastructure demands, environmental considerations, and community impacts associated with data center development.  The BOCC held the first public hearing regarding the proposed moratorium on May 11, 2026, with a second and final hearing scheduled on June 8, 2026.

The Committee, comprised of County staff, was established on May 20, 2026, in conjunction with the County’s consideration of a temporary moratorium.  The Committee will consolidate research and testimony received to assist in the evaluation of issues related to environmental impacts, water consumption, electrical demand and generation, land use compatibility, infrastructure capacity, economic and fiscal impacts, legal parameters of Florida State Law, and other issues associated with data center development.

The Committee will conduct a series of public meetings over the summer that will allow citizens the opportunity to provide comments related to data center development. In addition, the public meetings series will be used as a platform to host a speaker series where subject matter experts will provide relevant information and perspective on data centers.

The Committee is not a decision-making board and will not make any policy determinations.  The Committee’s work will culminate in a report or memorandum presented to the BOCC for future discussion where reasonable, balanced, and legally defensible public policy related to data center development will be considered. To ensure effective and efficient public meetings and Committee work, the Northeast Florida Regional Council (NEFRC) will moderate Committee meetings. 

The Committee consists of County staff members with expertise in planning, engineering, environmental sciences, land development, finance, and economic development. Members are as follows:

• Taco Pope, AICP, ICMA-CM, County Manager
• Marshall Eyerman, ICMA-CM, Assistant County Manager
• Robert Companion, P.E., Deputy County Manager/County Engineer
• Taylor Clem, Ph.D., Conservation Manager
• Kathy Freyman, Economic Resources Manager.

Tentative Public Meeting Schedule* **
(All meetings are subject to change.)

• Monday, June 1, 2026 – 5:00 p.m.
  BOCC Commission Chambers, Yulee
• Tuesday, June 2, 2026 – 5:00 p.m.
  West Nassau High School Cafetorium, Callahan
• Monday, June 8, 2026 – 9:00 a.m.
  BOCC Commission Chambers, Yulee
• Tuesday, June 9, 2026 – 5:00 p.m.
  West Nassau High School Cafetorium, Callahan
• Thursday, June 18, 2026 – 9:00 a.m.
  BOCC Commission Chambers, Yulee
• Monday, June 29, 2026 – 5:00 p.m.
  BOCC Commission Chambers, Yulee
• Tuesday, June 30, 2026 – 5:00 p.m.
  BOCC Commission Chambers, Yulee.

*There will be a “public comment” period at each meeting where citizens can provide comments on data center development.
**A video recording of each Committee meeting will be available for view at: https://nassaufl.co/DataCenters-FactFinding
 
Speaker Series, Scheduled Presenters (Subject to Change):

Monday, June 1, 2026​

• Dr. Tom Hoctor, Director for the Center of Landscape Conservation Planning, University of Florida 
• Margaret Kirkland, Conserve Nassau
• Chadd Charland, Florida Native Plant Society.

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

• Kim Dinkins, Policy and Planning Director, 1000 Friends of Florida
• Emily Floore, Executive Director, St. Marys Riverkeeper
• Jennifer Bryla, First Coast Board of the Florida Chapter of the APA & Northeast Florida Regoinal Council. 

Monday, June 8, 2026

• Jeff Hendry, Executive Director, North Florida Economic Development Partnership
• Bruce Jackson, First Vice President, CBRE Group Inc.
• Colleen Gillis, CEO, Curata Partners
• Ralph Forbes, Vice President/Regional Director, Thomas & Hutton
• Michelle Cullum, Lead Economic Development Project Manager for Florida Power & Light.

Thursday, June 18, 2026

• Clay Coarsey, Director, Division of Water Supply Planning and Assessment, St. Johns River Water Management District.

More information regarding the temporary moratorium, the Committee, meeting materials, and public participation opportunities is available https://nassaufl.co/DataCenters-FactFinding. 

-Sabrina Robertson
 Communications Officer