Letter from Patricia Jacob

Eco-Yotta Still Concerning

I write to you today to discuss my concerns about the Eco-Yotta’s proposed project involving data center servers and hydroponically-grown agriculture.

My primary concern is the fact that this project has been proposed to be built on land that is not zoned for this use. The overwhelming majority of local residents do not want this zone change. Eco-Yotta has been disingenuous in its presentation of this project. The couple purchased this land with the plan for development of this project knowing full well that this land is zoned for residential/agricultural use. They have been stating at board meetings that there is much disinformation circulating about the initial proposal for a data center. These statements are contrary to documents filed by Tirusha Dave on May 1, 2025. The application for a zoning amendment filed by her states: “The parcel is proposed to be zoned to Industrial to accommodate a data center.” “The total area for which the zone change is requested is 153.43 acres.” “Proposed use: Operation of a data center.” “Proposed change: Amend the ordinance to include data centers and associated utility infrastructure as a permitted or special use in Industrial zone.”

Data center emissions release significant amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, contributing to climate change. New infrastructure will be required to support any expansion of this usage, with communities typically paying this cost in the form of higher utility bills. Our community members are already struggling with historically high utility bills.

Data centers’ continuous operation generates significant heat, requiring energy intensive cooling systems to maintain optimal temperatures. Water based cooling systems can consume anywhere from 18,000 gallons to more than 5 million gallons of water per day, depending upon size and technology.

Data centers generate constant noise pollution from cooling systems and on-site generators. These run 24/7, making the noise unacceptable for neighbors. Noise is especially noticeable in rural areas. All of these factors make placement of data servers in a residential area totally unacceptable for those who continue to live there, not to mention the adverse effects on their property values.

The Eco-Yotta project has morphed several times, with the latest iteration now a research project which will use servers to generate heat to grow lettuce. The total price tag for this project is estimated to be between $3.5-5 million, a hefty cost if the end result is hydroponic efficiency.

I have seen literature that discusses reusing the heat that data centers produce, which may be ideal for the root zone heating in hydroponic systems. Eco-Yotta argues that their project “is an attempt to mitigate those negative impacts by offsetting them for agricultural purposes…and in the long term expanding similar projects to other farms across the region for edge computing, distributed AI computer infrastructure” [“Tour with Eco-Yotta Unpacks AI Research Center Proposal,” https://www.allotsego.com/tour-with-eco-yotta-officials-unpacks-ai-research-center-proposal/]. The bottom line is that they are still promoting AI computer infrastructure. While this may be an interesting project to contemplate, it would still require a zone change for this beautiful, pristine land. Once developed, the character of this land is forever changed. The Oneonta Planning Board advised against the zone change, twice, and the community does not want the zone change or this project.

There are far more sustainable ways to promote energy efficiency in hydroponic farming than introducing environmentally-destructive AI technology to this area. There are also multiple industrially-zoned acres of land available for this use and it is baffling to many why this company is insisting upon changing the zoning for this farm land when they knowingly purchased a substantial parcel of land zoned specifically for residential/agricultural use. It has been noted that land for data centers is often sought in low-income or rural areas due to the availability of cheaper land. The taxpaying residents of this town, who live, work, and raise their families here deserve to have their voices heard and respected.

Patricia Jacob
Climate Smart Task Force Coordinator, Town of Oneonta
Former Oneonta Town Board member