08 · SOURCES5 min
SUMTER FIELD DESK
The evidence desk
Where do the numbers come from?
Primary local and state sources
| Topic | Source | Use |
|---|---|---|
| The project itself | Economic Development Agreement, PDA and Liberty GA USA LLC, July 1, 2026 | The executed contract: parties, parcel, phasing, incentives, and operating conditions; read clause by clause. A scan mirrored here, not yet compared against the Authority's file copy |
| Who owns the land | Limited Warranty Deed, Authority to Liberty GA USA LLC, July 22, 2026 | The recorded conveyance: Deed Book 1806, Pages 746-748, e-filed July 23, 2026. Carries the Sumter County clerk's filing stamp on every page; its granting clause misnames the county as Gwinnett |
| The land contract | Purchase and Sale Agreement, unexecuted | $1.00 for the tract, buyer Liberty Data Centers Corp. of Ontario. Undated, with blank signature blocks: the terms as drafted, not a contract shown to be in force. Includes a 100 MW Phase 1 schedule and the campus rendering |
| Wetlands on the site | Terracon field determination, February 10, 2023 and its delineation map | 61.47 wetland acres of 103.91, plus 1,862 feet of perennial stream, found jurisdictional. A consultant's opinion, not a Corps determination; see what can be built |
| Phase I environmental site assessment | Terracon Phase I ESA, June 30, 2022 | Full 424-page packet for the tract, funded by an EPA Brownfield Assessment grant. Identifies two Recognized Environmental Conditions: EcoFlo Southeast and Triwood. Reports former dumping on the land. Recommends further investigation if the wetland north/west portion is developed. |
| The ordinance itself | Draft ordinance, passed by the Zoning Committee, August 18, 2026 | The draft advanced out of committee at 4 p.m., ahead of a council vote |
| The ordinance offered instead | Model Technology and Data Center Ordinance, version 6, written for Americus, September 16, 2026 | A drafted I-3 district, 28 pages: use classification by megawatt, separation and noise limits, water-use limits tied to the city's EPD withdrawal permit, Tier 4 Final generator standards, annual compliance reporting, and decommissioning security. Not before either body; a community proposal |
| Boundary and flood area | Retracement survey, Langford & Associates, platted June 2, 2026 | 102 acres ±, the FEMA Zone AE area, Willets Branch, and the city limits line crossing the tract. The recorded plat at Plat Book F, Page 316 was revised June 15, 2026; this is the earlier version |
| How the Authority got the land | Development Authority minutes, March 9, 2026, excerpt | "The county approved giving us this property," and a meeting with the mayor, two councilmen and the county chairman. Page 3 of 4 |
| Municipal water source | City of Americus 2024 Water Quality Report | Confirms groundwater wells; contains unrelated editing errors elsewhere |
| Withdrawal permit | Georgia EPD water-withdrawal lists | Links the official non-farm groundwater permit spreadsheet |
| Advertised infrastructure | Sumter County Development Authority | Plant, consumption, and wastewater marketing figures |
| Public meeting dates | This desk's meeting calendar, built from the county calendar and the city's postings | Every posted date for the commission, the council, and the Development Authority, each read off the body's own calendar by hand and linked back to that posting |
| The moratorium being asked for | Joint moratorium resolution, as drafted | The 18-month pause on data-center zoning, permitting, and construction both governments are asked to adopt. A draft presented by residents, not an adopted instrument |
| Community meeting, August 4, 2026 | Recording, summary, and slides; the deck is Better government | What speakers said in the room, including a Georgia Power representative answering from the floor. Figures are as speakers gave them and are not verified by this desk; the recording is the record |
| Community meeting, September 8, 2026 | Slides and recording | Identifies the proposed four-building Liberty campus as a 400 MW IT load, consistent with the 100 MW Phase 1 schedule in the unexecuted purchase agreement |
| Signatures collected on paper | Signed paper sheets, redacted | Names, signatures, town, ZIP, and the certifying circulator as signed; street addresses removed. What makes the paper line in the tally checkable; see how the petition is verified |
| Agendas | County Agenda Center | Newer agenda interface; separate from legacy archive |
| Georgia data-center power context | Georgia PSC Data Center Fact Sheet | State load projections, approvals, and ratepayer protections |
| Residential solar tariff | Georgia Power FAQ | 2026 export compensation and 10 kW AC limit |
| Open records and open meetings | Georgia's Sunshine Laws, Office of the Attorney General; the sixth-edition handbook is mirrored here | Request procedure, deadlines, fees, exemptions, and meeting-notice rules; see records and officials |
| County records procedure | Sumter County Open Records Request Form | Address, fax, and options the county publishes for requests |
Federal and technical sources
| Topic | Source | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 county water use | USGS Georgia water-use data | Historical city and county withdrawals |
| Groundwater history | USGS Open-File Report 96-483 | Historical cones of depression and regional assessment |
| Cooling-tower water | Department of Energy method | Full-load water table by tonnage and cycles of concentration |
| Dry cooling | ASHRAE integrated design principles | Near-zero cooling water for true dry closed-loop designs |
| Virginia sound impacts | JLARC Data Centers in Virginia | Complaint measurements, resident reports, and siting context |
| Large-load grid events | NERC presentation to FERC | 1,500 and 1,800 MW Virginia load-loss events |
| Generator fuel | Caterpillar 3516B specification | Representative diesel ratings and fuel use |
| Natural-gas turbine | Solar Turbines Titan 130 | Representative output and heat rate |
| CO₂ comparisons | EPA typical passenger vehicle | Diesel and passenger-vehicle factors |
| Natural-gas CO₂ | EIA emission coefficients | 52.91 kg CO₂ per million Btu |
| Solar and storage costs | NREL Q1 2023 benchmark | Historical 8 kW / 12.5 kWh modeled benchmark |
Secondary or limited sources
These may provide useful leads but should not carry a decisive claim alone:
- FindEnergy county electricity estimate
- News coverage of resident complaints
- Advocacy-group potential-emissions calculations
- Manufacturer marketing claims without project equipment schedules
- Videos and informal field measurements
Source-handling rule
For every public statement, ask:
- Is this source about this project or only about data centers generally?
- Is the number measured, permitted, advertised, modeled, or assumed?
- What year and operating condition does it describe?
- Does the source include a limitation that changes the meaning?
- Can the claim be stated in one sentence without losing that limitation?