Alabama animal shelter sues to stop massive data center that risks health of thousands of pets

An Alabama animal shelter is suing to halt construction of a $2 billion AI data center, alleging the project was rushed through approvals and could threaten thousands of animals at its planned new campus.The Greater Birmingham Humane Society filed the lawsuit in Jefferson County Circuit Court earlier this month against the City of Birmingham and developers behind the project, alleging they engaged in a "months-long scheme" to bypass zoning rules and rush approvals for the facility, Business Insider reports. The data center's permits were approved in just four months, compared with the 18-month review the nonprofit underwent for its planned $67 million veterinary and animal welfare campus, according to the complaint, the outlet reports.

The AI data center, developed by Amsterdam-based Nebius Group, is being built about 160 feet from the humane society’s future campus. The nonprofit says noise from the facility could disrupt operations and impact animals and staff at its planned adoption center, rehabilitation areas and foster facilities.The society said filing the lawsuit was its only remaining option after exhausting all available administrative avenues, including attending public hearings and submitting technical concerns about the project.

open image in galleryThe Greater Birmingham Humane Society sued the City of Birmingham and the project’s developers, alleging they bypassed zoning rules and rushed approvals for the data center (AFP via Getty Images)"This lawsuit is not a step we take lightly," Allison Black Cornelius, President and CEO of the Greater Birmingham Humane Society, told ABC33/40. "We believe important legal questions remain about how this project was approved, and we believe those questions deserve to be answered by the courts."Entities affiliated with Nebius "coordinated" with the city to "abuse legal processes and manipulate timelines to fast-track a favored project without due process, regard for the law, or public welfare," the lawsuit alleges.

Nebius has denied the allegations, saying the project complied with local regulations. A Nebius spokesperson told Business Insider that the project was "permitted lawfully in this commercial district and Nebius has followed the same rules that apply to everyone else in Birmingham.""The facility has also been thoughtfully designed and responsibly developed with measures including acoustical sound walls, grid power, and closed-loop cooling, among other areas," the Nebius spokesperson added.

A City of Birmingham spokesperson declined Business Insider’s request for comment on the lawsuit, citing the ongoing litigation.Cornelius said the organization is not opposed to AI data centers in general but believes the approval process should be transparent and lawful."This case is not about whether data centers should exist," Cornelius said in a statement.

"It is about whether a project of this size and character should move forward in this location without the legal questions surrounding its approval first being resolved."The Independent has contacted the society, Nebius and the City of Birmingham for comment. Join our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments