By: Kate Kimmel
Nassau County commissioners Monday directed the county attorney to draft a 12-month moratorium on new data center development in unincorporated areas, responding to growing speculation about a potential project near Jacksonville International Airport.
The proposed moratorium follows reports that a data center could be built on roughly 1,600 acres along U.S. 301 currently being leased to microgrid development company NextNRG. County officials pushed back on those claims during the meeting, emphasizing that the property’s current zoning does not permit data center development and that no formal application has been submitted.
Commissioners said the pause would give the county time to study the issue and develop regulations before any proposals come forward.
“I want consensus to direct the county attorney to go ahead and research the pros and cons of data centers here in Nassau County and come back to us with a detailed report,” Commissioner John Martin said. “Because right now this land is not zoned to permit a data center.”
Internal emails obtained by NewsLine show that confusion over the project may stem from how earlier announcements were interpreted.
Emails exchanged April 8 between county officials and James Scrivener, microgrid development manager at NextNRG Inc., confirm that the county was unaware of any plans for a data center and that the scope of those plans had been overstated.
“Our September press release was about our upcoming solar microgrid project,” Scrivener wrote to Planning Director Elizabeth Backe. “The data center piece was noted as a future possibility given the site’s power and infrastructure profile, not an active development.”
Scrivener also claimed in the email that he had been in previous contact with county officials and that his company had been working with JEA since 2022.
County Manager Taco Pope responded that afternoon, stating that Nassau County had no record of any prior communications with NextNRG.
“The only related correspondence identified [regarding the land] was with a firm named National Solar regarding ‘Solar Site Planning,'” Pope wrote. “There is no record of any discussions between Nassau County and National Solar concerning the development of a data center.”
Scrivener replied shortly after, clarifying that he was the founder and CEO of National Solar, which was acquired by NextNRG. He said that he and another National Solar representative met with county staff in 2023 to discuss the Ingle Solar Farm.
County records confirm that two emails were exchanged in January 2023 between Nassau Senior Planner Joshua Macbeth and Scrivener, who at the time represented National Solar, regarding site plans for a solar farm on the property along U.S. 301.
Commissioners expressed frustration with the timing of NextNRG’s outreach following recent media coverage.
“If you’re going to do business in Nassau County, read the room, pay attention to what’s going on,” Martin said. “We shouldn’t have had to reach out to you two or three times to get a delayed response.”
The proposed moratorium is intended to give the county time to create a regulatory framework for data centers, which are increasingly being considered across Florida as demand for digital infrastructure grows. County Attorney Teresa Prince said moratoriums have become common in Virginia and Pennsylvania, where data center development is most prominent.
According to the World Resources Institute, key challenges for local communities presented by data centers include high energy consumption, significant water use for cooling systems, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. The organization emphasizes the importance of clear local regulations governing energy use, land siting, and cost impacts on residents.
“Clear rules on energy procurement, water use, land siting, community engagement and cost recovery will determine whether this growth strengthens local economies and infrastructure — or shifts risks to residents,” the institute states.
A draft ordinance establishing the moratorium is expected to be presented at the April 27 commission meeting. Adoption would require two public hearings, scheduled for May 11 and June 8.
At the state level, Senate Bill 484, if signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, would codify regulations on data centers, including utility standards and environmental limits.
Until then, commissioners say the message is clear: no data center development is currently approved, and any future proposals will face closer scrutiny.
kkimmel@nassaunewsline.net
