The meeting at Hopkinsville Community College will be the second opportunity for local residents to hear discussion of the regulation proposals and comment on them.
After the ordinance unanimously passed, Democratic Woodford County Judge-Executive James Kay told the fiscal court that the court “made it our clear, proactive commitment to Woodford County to keep us being one of the most special places on earth.”
Gov. Andy Beshear was present for Tuesday's ceremony and emphasized a "substional economic boost" that will result from the creation of 200 new jobs at the Hopkinsville plant.
The governor said his executive order would implement an array of protections against the potential impacts of data centers, though some experts have questioned how much legal “teeth” his order has without the backing of specific state laws addressing data centers.
Gov. Andy Beshear is ordering Kentucky regulators to protect residents and ratepayers from potential harms tied to data centers, including higher utility bills and impacts on air and water.
Massachusetts-based Ascend Elements announced in 2022 it would invest $1 billion dollars to build an EV battery recycling plant in Hopkinsville. The company has since taken Chapter 11 bankruptcy and settled false claims allegations with the U.S. Department of Justice. Construction of the mega factory remains stalled, but with new owners who say the project will be finished.
