Mammoth Spring, Ark. — A proposed data center near Thayer, Missouri, just minutes from Mammoth Spring State Park and the Arkansas-Missouri state line, has sparked opposition from local residents concerned about the project’s potential impact on the environment and nearby communities.
The site, located approximately five minutes north of the state park, is owned by Charles McCullough but has not yet been acquired by a developer. Protesters on both sides of the border have expressed fears that such a facility could endanger the area’s natural resources and quality of life.
Jeremiah Read, who organized a protest in Mammoth Spring on Saturday, emphasized the community’s responsibility to preserve the region’s unique beauty for future generations. “Why should you care? I mean, we have an obligation to protect this beauty and not contaminate it for our children and future generations and for ourselves,” Read said.
Much of the concern centers around how the data center’s water use could affect Mammoth Spring State Park, especially in light of the drought that has diminished the water table. Residents fear development at the site might increase strain on the area’s spring-fed water systems.
Thomas Sallings and Magic Keller, business owners from Alton, Missouri, have also been at the forefront of efforts to oppose the project. They argue that the facility could shift decision-making power away from residents, allowing corporate interests to heavily influence the region.
“They’ll basically own 90% of the county and be able to make all the decisions for us,” Sallings said, voicing concern over potential economic and political imbalance. He and Keller have advocated for maximizing taxation and implementing strict pollution regulations to deter developers.
Keller added that the economic benefits of data centers are often overstated, especially for rural areas. “The landowner, Charles McCullough, he’s been pretty straightforward. He’s said—he’s just come out and said, like, this facility will bring in less than 10 jobs,” Keller said.
Nearby residents have also raised concerns about noise levels, water temperature changes, and the impact on local agriculture and wildlife. Ramona Hampton, 72, who owns a small farm close to the proposed site, said noise from the data center, estimated to reach up to 105 decibels, could disrupt daily life. She also expressed alarm about possible heat pollution affecting the spring’s water, which normally maintains a steady temperature of 50°F.
“The water and the noise has got me bothered more than anything because it would affect me directly as close as I live to the farm that’s proposed,” Hampton said.
Hampton joined the protest not only for her own peace of mind but to protect the region for generations to come. “I have children and grandchildren,” she said. “And I look at all these young people and I think, ‘Oh dear God, it’s up to us to protect them.’ It really is.”
Community members opposing the project have said they hope their efforts will encourage input from local voices and safeguard the region against the potential consequences of large-scale developments like data centers.