Democratic state House candidate Hanu Karlapalem is pressing Republican Rep. Parker Moore to explain what he says is a shift in Moore’s position on data centers, an issue that has drawn growing opposition and new restrictions across north Alabama.
Karlapalem, who is challenging Moore for the House District 4 seat, pointed to comments Moore made in July about opposition to data center developments and contrasted them with remarks the incumbent made last week acknowledging concerns raised by residents.
At a July meeting of the Decatur - Morgan County Chamber of Commerce, Moore said opposition to data centers had been influenced by foreign disinformation and described the nation as being in an artificial intelligence arms race with China.
“We are essentially at an arms race with China in terms of dominating the AI space,” Moore said at the event, per the Decatur Daily. “We have to have the data centers in order to keep up.”
But, in an Oct. 15 interview with FOX54, Moore said there were valid arguments among the concerns residents have raised about data centers and said officials should slow down and provide communities with more information.
Moore also said decisions about where data centers are located should remain with local governments rather than the state.
“I don’t think that the state needs to be getting involved and looking at placing data centers,” Moore said.
Karlapalem said Moore should explain the difference between the two sets of comments.
“Residents in Morgan, Limestone, and Madison counties raised these concerns months ago, and some were told they were being influenced by foreign adversaries,” Karlapalem said. “Now, less than three weeks before the election, Parker Moore has changed his tune and says there are valid arguments.”
Moore did not respond to questions by publication deadline to questions about whether his position on data centers has changed, whether he still stands by his July comments and whether he would support a temporary moratorium.
The debate comes as Alabama communities wrestle with how much control local government should have over the rapidly expanding data center industry.
The Morgan County Commission voted 4 to 0 on June 23 to impose a one-year moratorium on data centers in unincorporated portions of the county while officials study their potential effects. The decision followed opposition to a proposed cryptocurrency mining project near Somerville, including concerns about noise, electricity use and the project’s location near homes.
Karlapalem is calling for a one-year moratorium on new AI data center approvals while new rules are developed. He is also proposing greater public discourse of contracts, incentives and utility filings, environmental impact reviews, written community benefit agreements and protections aimed at preventing data center electricity demand from increasing residential power bills.
Karlapalem also asked whether Moore would support legislation proposed by Sen. Arthur Orr (R - Decatur) to give local governments additional authority over data center locations.
The candidates are also drawing a distinction over utility regulation.
Karlapalem criticized Moore for his vote this spring to accept a Senate rewrite of legislation overhauling the Alabama Public Service Commission.
The original House version of HB475 required the PSC to conduct a formal rate case for each regulated utility every three years and would have prevented utilities from earning a return on equity above the regional average.
Moore voted for that version when it passed the House unanimously in March.
The Senate later substantially rewrote the bill, eliminating the mandatory rate cases and the provision limiting utility returns. The House voted 72 to 26 to accept the Senate changes, with Moore voting in favor of concurrence. Gov. Kay Ivey later signed the measure into law.
Karlapalem said Moore’s vote conflicts with his more recent emphasis on affordability.
Moore represents House District 4, which includes portions of Limestone, Madison and Morgan counties.
