A recent ruling by the SC Public Service Commission ruling has removed a critical layer of state level protection for South Carolina residents. In the PSC’s own language, the decision “removes the voices of residents from having ANY impact on what comes into their communities” regarding largescale private power generation. It also states that even a facility producing “10 GIGAWATTS” for its own use would no longer require a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility or the structured process of public notice, environmental review, and citizen participation that once existed.
With this ruling, “this STATELEVEL protection of residents NO LONGER EXISTS under the PSC.”
This change means counties are now the only line of defense.
Without statewide standards, every community must scramble to create zoning laws, noise ordinances, land-use restrictions, and permitting rules strong enough to manage projects that previously required PSC oversight.
That is not a sustainable or fair system.
South Carolina needs legislation that restores transparency, environmental review, and public participation so that development does not outrun the people it affects.
The Saluda GOP is neither opposed to, nor in favor of, data centers or solar farms at this time. We are keeping open minds and pursuing firsthand research, including visiting a fully operational data center campus.
In our opinion, responsible leadership requires direct observation and verified information, not assumptions or online speculation. It also requires awareness that foreign actors, including China, have invested heavily in social media bots designed to amplify extreme narratives and sow confusion.
That reality makes careful, source-based evaluation essential.
In the view of the Saluda GOP Voter Education Team, this moment is not about stopping development. It is about ensuring South Carolina communities retain the right to shape it.
Voters should recall that in the first televised debate between the top four contenders in the Special US Senate Primary, each of them basically agreed that data centers are needed for AI, economic, or national-security reasons. But they also added that local communities should have a meaningful role in deciding whether and where projects are built.
That did not happen in Spartanburg and proves that state legislation will be required.
The PSC ruling shows that without legislative action, citizens will lose meaningful control over projects that affect forests, water, wildlife, infrastructure, and quality of life.
State legislation is the only way to guarantee that future decisions are made openly, with environmental safeguards and public voices fully restored.
The Saluda County GOP will be researching datacenters and then conferring with our SC Legislative Delegation: Senators Billy Garrett and Shane Massey, as well as Representatives, Cal Forrest and Bill Clyburn.
We want to make sure that if Saluda County ever has to make a decision about datacenters, our citizens are well-informed on the issue.
