Effingham Residents Protest OpenAI’s $20 Billion Data Center

OpenAI's proposed $20 billion Project Camellia data center in Effingham County has prompted substantial resident opposition focused on the timing and transparency of the deal, as well as potential effects on water, power, noise, traffic and the environment. County officials say the Savannah Gateway Industrial Park site was already zoned for the use, so the project did not require a rezoning vote or associated public hearing. The proposal must now complete Georgia's Developments of Regional Impact review and subsequent site, utility and engineering reviews before construction can proceed.