Ellenwood Victory: Data Center Plan Rejected
DeKalb County, Environmental Justice, Black Communities
Ellenwood Wins: DeKalb Commissioners Reject Massive Data Center Plan
After nearly a year of organizing, testimony, and late-night meetings, residents in Ellenwood, Georgia — a majority-Black community in South DeKalb — have secured a major environmental justice victory. The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners has officially rejected a proposed 2 million square foot data center project that many feared would deepen pollution and health burdens Black families already carry.
What Was at Stake in Ellenwood
The project, proposed by PCC-DeKalb LLC, called for a sprawling 2 million square foot data center campus on about 95 acres in Ellenwood. It would have brought multiple two-story buildings, an electrical substation, and heavy industrial activity to a community that is already overwhelmingly Black and already living with pollution from landfills, industrial sites, and traffic corridors (atlanta.capitalbnews.org).
From the beginning, residents saw the proposal not just as a land-use question, but as a matter of racial equity. Why, they asked, should a majority-Black neighborhood shoulder even more environmental risk so that a private company can profit from the booming data center industry?
A Year of Organizing Against Pollution and Burden
Opposition didn’t appear overnight. Beginning in late 2025, Ellenwood residents packed zoning hearings, hosted community forums at places like Wesley Chapel Library, and launched petitions demanding that the county stop the project. Neighbors spoke about asthma, cancer risks, and already poor air quality in South DeKalb (wabe.org, atlantanewsfirst.com).
Community members raised alarms about nonstop noise from diesel backup generators, bright lights at all hours, and the enormous water and energy demands of a facility of this size. Many feared that DeKalb’s aging water and sewer systems — which already struggle in Black neighborhoods — would be pushed past the breaking point (atlanta.capitalbnews.org).
The Commissioners’ Rejection — and What It Means
On August 13, 2026, after months of testimony and a broader county moratorium on new data centers, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners voted to reject the Ellenwood proposal outright. County planning staff had already recommended denial, citing serious environmental and infrastructure concerns. Commissioners ultimately sided with residents who argued that their community should not be treated as a dumping ground for high-pollution projects.
For Black Atlantans, this decision is about more than one development. It’s a rare and powerful example of a majority-Black community successfully pushing back against a project that promised jobs on paper but threatened health and quality of life in reality. It shows that when neighbors organize, show up, and speak with one voice, elected officials can be moved.
A Blueprint for Future Environmental Justice Fights
Ellenwood’s win arrives as data centers surge across Georgia, raising questions about who benefits and who bears the cost. State lawmakers are now debating stronger rules around pollution, energy use, and public transparency for these facilities (gpb.org, axios.com). The message from South DeKalb is clear: Black communities are paying attention, and we expect to be heard before decisions are made — not after.
For Black residents in Ellenwood and across metro Atlanta, this moment is both a celebration and a call to keep organizing. The fight for clean air, safe water, and fair development is ongoing — but Ellenwood has shown that when we stand together, we can protect our neighborhoods and shape the future of our city.
