Georgia Residents Sue Over OpenAI Data Center

OpenAI faces a second lawsuit from Effingham County residents and environmental groups over its planned $20 billion data‑center campus near Rincon, Georgia, a project announced in July that would house roughly 4.4 million square feet of AI‑computing facilities about 30 miles northwest of Savannah.

The legal challenge comes as the company pushes forward on a site that would consume up to 30 million gallons of water a day and require a dedicated power line to meet the estimated 1.5 gigawatt demand of the supercomputers. Critics say the location was chosen for its low land cost and proximity to the Savannah River, but the rapid approval process left neighbors with little opportunity to weigh in on the environmental and infrastructure impacts.

Plaintiffs, led by the Southern Environmental Law Center, argue that the project violates state water‑use permits and the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires thorough assessment of air‑quality, wildlife habitat and traffic effects. In a filing last week, they cited a 2022 study warning that large AI data centers could increase regional carbon emissions by up to 10 percent if powered by fossil‑fuel electricity. OpenAI’s spokesperson responded that the campus will run on renewable energy contracts and that the company is working with local officials to mitigate water draw, but declined to comment on the lawsuit’s merits.

A judge is expected to rule on a request for a temporary injunction that would halt construction while the environmental review is completed. If the court sides with the residents, OpenAI may have to redesign the site, secure additional water‑conservation measures or relocate the campus entirely. The outcome could set a precedent for how AI firms address climate and community concerns as they expand the nation’s high‑performance computing capacity.