By Paris Rain, FOX23.com News Staff
OKMULGEE, Okla. — Residents voiced their concerns about a proposed data center during at a community open house put on by the developers Fluidstack. They had questions ranging from property values and water use to potential health impacts and electricity.
The open house gave community members an opportunity to speak directly with company representatives about the project, which Fluidstack plans to build in Okmulgee.
Kate Franko, who works in public affairs for Fluidstack, said the company understands why residents have questions as the data center industry continues to expand.
“People are rightly concerned about data centers because, while it’s not a new industry, the growth has been really rapid over the past year or so,” Franko said. “People want to understand why the industry has been growing so fast, why Oklahoma and what this means for them.”
According to the company’s website, Fluidstack says it is committed to transparency, local partnerships and environmental accountability. The company also says it is not seeking local property tax incentives for the project.
Franko said that decision means the company expects to pay its full property tax bill, with revenue going directly to Okmulgee County, Okmulgee Public Schools and Green Country Technology Center.
“Many other data center developers seek local property tax incentives and structure payments in lieu of taxes that are significantly lower than their actual tax bill would be,” Franko said.
Despite those assurances, some residents remain unconvinced that the project will benefit the community.
Rose Lynch, an Okmulgee resident and community advocate, said many neighbors are worried about potential impacts on property values, public health and local water resources.
“I think the biggest thing is the fear of the unknown,” Lynch said.
Lynch also said she hopes other communities learn from Okmulgee’s experience by establishing zoning regulations before similar projects are proposed.
“There are no zoning laws to protect us,” she said. “My hope for other communities that are going to be in this situation is to make sure that their county commissioners and city leaders have guidelines and boundaries in place to protect the people who live there.”
Fluidstack said it plans to begin construction on the first of two phases of the project by September 2027.
The company has also provided information about the proposed development and a way for residents to submit questions through its project website. If you would like to submit questions, you can send them to okmulgeefluidstack@gmail.com.
