Henderson-Vance FYI
What every citizen should know about data centers, water, and the future of Henderson and Vance County.
Citizen-researched. 100+ cited sources. Not funded by any company, activist organization, or political campaign.
September 14, 2026 · 6:00 PM
Board of Commissioners -Three Public Hearings
122 Young Street, Henderson, NC
Public Hearing 1
ZMA26-002 Rezoning
New rezoning application -follow-up to the April 20 ZMA26-001 vote
Public Hearing 2
UDO Text Amendment
Proposed changes to the Unified Development Ordinance -Natelli submitted a redlined version weakening protections
Public Hearing 3
Moratorium
Consider and take action on a development moratorium
September 9, 2026
Natelli Files 900 MW Multi-Phase Development Plan
Natelli Holdings filed a vested rights application on September 9, 2026, locking in approvals under the pre-moratorium rules. The filing reveals a 528-acre, 12-building, 4-million-square-foot campus to be built across four phases -far larger than anything previously disclosed. At 900 MW, this is not a single data center. It is a campus-scale industrial development. Natelli simultaneously submitted a redlined UDOweakening the county's protective standards. The filing was made under NCGS 160D-108(j)(4) to vest rights before the moratorium could take effect.
September 9, 2026 -Water Projections Revised Upward
900 MW Campus: Up to 10.3 Million Gallons Per Day
Original Estimate -Single Building, 30–100 MW
300,000 to 1 million gallons per day
This estimate applied to one building. Natelli has now filed for a 900 MW campus with up to 12 buildings.
Updated Estimate -900 MW Campus (Natelli Filed)
Hybrid cooling: 3.6 to 6.2 million gallons per day. Evaporative (worst case): up to 10.3 million gallons per day. At the midpoint, this equals the daily water demand of 50,000 to 60,000 people, more than the entire population of Vance County. The KLRWS currently draws 6.9 MGD for all of Vance County.
The word “or” in Natelli's cooling redline is the difference between 22,000 gal/day and 5 million.
Sources: AKCP, WUNC, WRAL, Vantage Data Centers, GIJN, MOST Policy Initiative
June 2026 · No Senate action in 3 months
Senate Bill 730: The Ratepayer Protection Act
SB 730 passed the NC House 69-44 on June 3 and was referred to the Senate Rules and Operations Committee on June 8. It has not moved since. The bill mandates closed-loop cooling, 15-year contracts, and foreign ownership restrictions for data centers above 100 MW. But it leaves the state's $45 to $57 million per year tax exemption untouched and blocks coal plant retirements at an estimated cost of $128 million per year to ratepayers. We compared all three competing bills, fact-checked the rate hike claims, and built a graduated regulation framework with proven solutions from Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ireland.
$450M/yr
Tax Exemption at Scale
SB 730 leaves NC's data center sales tax exemption fully intact. No sunset. No expiration. One of only 7 states.
Source: EDPNC, Good Jobs First
$128M/yr
Coal Plant Subsidy
Section 10 blocks coal retirements until new nuclear is permitted. Coal runs 30% more expensive per MWh than clean energy.
Source: EDF
100 MW
Threshold Outlier
86% of utility tariffs nationally set their threshold below 100 MW. Virginia uses 25 MW. Tennessee uses 50 MW. NC is the outlier.
Source: SEPA DELTa Database
June 3, 2026
Henderson Responds to Franklin County
The City of Henderson released a formal press release addressing Franklin County's May 21 letter. City Manager Paylor Spruill stated that Henderson will not enter into an agreement with Franklin County “until we know we can satisfy our own obligations.” The Partnership confirmed it is analyzing options and expects to propose a solution before the end of the month.
“Our first responsibility is to our residents, customers and taxpayers. We will not enter into an agreement with Franklin County, or anyone else, until we know we can satisfy our own obligations.”
Paylor Spruill, City Manager, City of Henderson
Click to view full press release
May 21, 2026
Franklin County Demands 51% Stake in Our Water System
Franklin County Manager Ryan Preble sent a formal letter to Henderson, Oxford, and Warren County demanding either a 51% ownership stake in the Kerr Lake Regional Water System or the right to expand at Franklin's cost. The letter was CC'd to the General Assembly, WRAL, the Henderson Dispatch, and multiple attorneys. The June 21 deadline has passed. Henderson responded on June 3. We read the full letter, researched every claim, and built a complete analysis.
Read the full analysis, download the letter →May 5, 2026
The Conversation Has Been Brought to the Table
The State of Economic Development was presented to our community. We researched every claim, cited 40+ sources, and built a guide for how Vance County can make this work for us. Questions to ask, ordinances to adopt, and demands to make.
Read the full analysis →April 29, 2026
SB 214 Section 5 Has Been Removed
After roughly 100 citizens traveled to Raleigh and a press conference with 10 speakers, both chambers voted on a revised conference report without the Franklin County eminent domain provision. But House Speaker Destin Hall warned it could return if local negotiations fail. The Army Corps study continues. Remain vigilant.
Past Event -April 29, 2026
Governor Stein's Rural Listening Session
Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center, Henderson, NC
The Office of the Governor hosted a listening session in Henderson on April 29, the same day both chambers voted to remove Section 5 from SB 214. Department of Revenue Secretary McKinley Wooten and Office of State Budget and Management Director Kristin Walker represented Governor Stein's office.
Past Meeting -ZMA26-001 Vote
Monday, April 20, 2026 at 4:00 PM
Vance County Board of Commissioners, 122 Young Street, Henderson
Purpose: "Consider and take action"on the Natelli Holdings rezoning (ZMA26-001). Also streaming on YouTube. This special meeting was called with four days' notice, the legal minimum under NC open meetings law.
Meeting concluded.
Commissioners voted 6-1 to approve rezoning.
April 6, 2026
What Citizens Said
Approximately 150 residents attended the Board of Commissioners meeting. The overflow crowd filled the stairwell. More than 20 citizens spoke during the public hearing. Every speaker from the community opposed the rezoning except two.
Tyler Matthews
Watkins community
Provided the most detailed water analysis. A data center would add 4-15% to the regional system's daily draw. That water evaporates.
Natalie Stone
NC State University
Broke down the power math. Kerr Lake Dam generates 227 MW. The Apex project Natelli withdrew was 300 MW. Once operational, actual consumption becomes confidential.
Garland Askew
Carolina Pines
Mapped the impact zones: 110 homes within a half-mile. Dabney Elementary, VGCC, Henderson Country Club, and 217 homes in Huntstone within two miles.
March 26, 2026
USACE NEPA Scoping Meeting
Photos from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers NEPA Public Scoping Session at the Warren County Armory Civic Center. The Corps is evaluating Franklin County's request for 15.7 million gallons per day from Kerr Lake's conservation pool.
Anonymous Community Poll
How does Vance County feel about data centers?
5 questions. 30 seconds. Completely anonymous. Results are public.
Change.org Petition
Stop Construction of Data Center in Henderson, NC
Community petition created by Henderson residents. Not affiliated with this site.
At a Glance
What's Happening
The Rezoning & Natelli Filing
Natelli Holdings LLC, a Maryland-based land developer, sought to rezone approximately 113 acres across three parcels from Employment and Institutional Area to Light Industrial. Combined with adjacent Triangle North parcels, the corridor totals 619 acres along US-158 Business. An additional 66-acre parcel owned by Ruth Jones has already been surveyed and is reportedly ready to sell upon rezoning approval, bringing the potential corridor to 685 acres. On September 9, Natelli filed a vested rights application for a 900 MW, 528-acre, 12-building campus across four phases. Full analysis →
Natelli's Track Record
Natelli's Apex, NC proposal (250 MW, 189 acres near Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant) was withdrawn in March 2026 after 4,700 petition signatures and public opposition from a U.S. Representative. Apex then voted unanimously to draft a data center moratorium. That same developer is now asking Vance County for the same thing -and has now escalated to a 900 MW campus filing.
Natelli Land Assembly - Up to 685 Acres
Three Natelli rezoning parcels (cyan, ~113 acres) plus the former Triangle North Corporate Park land (yellow, ~506 acres) form a continuous 619-acre corridor along US-158 Business between I-85 and Horseshoe Bend Road, opposite the Carolina Pines neighborhood. A 66-acre parcel owned by Ruth Jones (shown in red) has already been surveyed and is reportedly ready to sell upon rezoning approval, bringing the potential total to 685 acres. Additional EIA-zoned parcels in the corridor could be subject to future rezoning requests.
Source: Vance County Tax Parcel Viewer
A Second Development
A separate 700-acre ELS development is also being assembled in the county. The parcels, outlined below, sit adjacent to existing residential neighborhoods in Henderson. This is in addition to the 619-acre Natelli/Triangle North corridor along US-158 Business.
Source: Vance County Tax Parcel Viewer
Water
Original estimate (single building): 300,000 to 1 million gallons per day. Updated:Natelli's filed 900 MW campus with hybrid cooling would consume 3.6 to 6.2 million gallons per day, equivalent to the daily water demand of 50,000 to 60,000 people, more than the entire population of Vance County. Evaporative cooling worst case: up to 10.3 MGD. The KLRWS currently draws 6.9 MGD. Franklin County is simultaneously requesting 15.7 MGD from the same reservoir. No federal entity is modeling the cumulative demand. Full breakdown →
Power & Your Bill
Duke Energy has filed for a combined $1.7 billion rate increase across its NC subsidiaries, adding $17-$28/month to residential bills. In Virginia, where data centers consume 26% of electricity, Dominion customers are paying $16/month more, projected to reach $37/month by 2040.
Source: Duke Energy, Inside Climate News
Jobs
Permanent operational staff at a typical data center: 30 to 200 people. Apple's $1 billion Maiden, NC facility employs fewer than 50. The subsidy package totaled $321 million, or $6.4 million per permanent job. Of 36 states with data center incentives, 16 have no minimum job creation requirement.
Source: Good Jobs First
Tax Breaks
North Carolina's data center tax exemptions have no job requirement, no expiration, and no sunset. NC is one of only seven states where the exemption never ends. The state currently loses $45-57 million per year in foregone revenue. Virginia's exemption now costs $1.6 billion annually.
Source: EDPNC, Good Jobs First
Full Reports
Read Everything
Both reports are free to download, share, and print. They are compiled from public records, county meeting transcripts, investigative journalism, government reports, and peer-reviewed research.
April 2026
Data Centers and Vance County
What every citizen should know before the next vote.
69 cited sources. Includes Vance County Board of Commissioners and Henderson City Council meeting analysis.
March 2026
Kerr Lake, Data Centers, and the Case for Recreation
A resource analysis for Vance County and the Kerr-Tar region.
48 cited sources. Updated with findings from the March 26, 2026 USACE NEPA Public Scoping Session.
September 14, 2026
Board of Commissioners Meeting Masterfile
Official meeting packet -ZMA26-002, UDO text amendment, and moratorium hearings.
Vance County official document. Includes all three public hearing materials.
Share These
Key Facts - Visual Cards
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Lessons
What Other Communities Did
Some communities rejected data center proposals. Others negotiated terms that turned a potential threat into measurable benefit. Both approaches offer lessons for Vance County.
Communities That Set Boundaries
| Community | What Happened | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Apex, NC | Natelli withdrew after 4,700 petition signatures | Moratorium drafted |
| Port Washington, WI | First anti-data center referendum in U.S., 66% voted yes | Large tax breaks now require voter approval |
| Tucson, AZ | City council unanimously rejected Amazon "Project Blue" | Water concerns were deciding factor |
| Warrenton, VA | Residents voted out all council members who supported rezoning | New council reversed course |
Communities That Negotiated Well
| Community | What They Demanded | What They Got |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids, IA | Wage floor + performance-linked tax break | 70% exemption only if 31+ jobs at $26.20/hr minimum; $18M community fund over 18 years |
| Lancaster, PA | Hard water cap | 20,000 gallons/day maximum in writing |
| Richmond Co., NC | Infrastructure investment | $1.5M fire station, two trucks, fiber/water upgrades county-wide, workforce pipeline with community college |
| Lea County, NM | Comprehensive policy before any developer arrived | Closed-loop cooling required, no rate increases, mandatory decommissioning, PILOT payments to all taxing entities |
Stay Involved
Upcoming Meetings
Board of Commissioners
September 14, 2026 at 6:00 PM
122 Young Street, Henderson, NC
Three public hearings: ZMA26-002, UDO text amendment, moratorium
Download meeting masterfile →Regular schedule: First Monday at 6 PM · vancecounty.org for agendas
Henderson City Council
Second Monday at 6 PM, 134 Rose Avenue
Sep 14 · Oct 12 · Nov 9 · Dec 14
henderson.nc.gov for agendas
Your Representatives
Elected Officials
These are the people who represent you at the county, city, state, and federal level. Their contact information is public record.
Vance County Board of Commissioners
122 Young Street, Suite B, Henderson, NC 27536 · 252-738-2001
| Name | District | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carolyn Faines (Chair) | 1 | 252-433-8018 | cfaines@vancecounty.org |
| Valencia Louise Perry | 2 | 252-432-5577 | vperry@vancecounty.org |
| Charisse Fain (Vice-Chair) | 3 | 252-767-1563 | cfain@vancecounty.org |
| Dan Brummitt | 4 | 252-432-4774 | dbrummitt@vancecounty.org |
| Leo Kelly, Jr. | 5 | 252-767-7957 | lkellyjr@nc.rr.com |
| Yolanda J. Feimster | 6 | 252-431-7579 | yfeimster@aol.com |
| Thomas S. Hester, Jr. | 7 | 252-738-9771 | tshester@ncol.net |
Henderson City Council
134 Rose Avenue, Henderson, NC · Second Monday at 6 PM
| Name | Seat | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geraldine Champion | Ward 1 | 984-331-6241 | GeraldineChampion@henderson.nc.gov |
| Sam Seifert | Ward 2 | 336-406-8623 | SamSeifert@henderson.nc.gov |
| Garry D. Daeke | Ward 3 | 252-432-3145 | GarryDaeke@henderson.nc.gov |
| Catherine Miles Gill | Ward 4 | 252-767-7524 | CatherinGill@henderson.nc.gov |
| Kenia Gomez-Jimenez | At-Large | 252-915-8281 | KeniaGomezJimenez@henderson.nc.gov |
| Lamont Noel | At-Large | 252-432-0884 | LamontNoel@henderson.nc.gov |
| Michael Venable (Mayor Pro Tem) | At-Large | 252-915-5933 | MichaelVenable@henderson.nc.gov |
| Tami Walker (Mayor Pro Tem) | At-Large | 252-572-4125 | TamiWalker@henderson.nc.gov |
State & Federal Representatives
NC Senate - District 11
Sen. Lisa S. Barnes
Franklin, Nash, Vance counties
919-715-3030
lisa.barnes@ncleg.govNC House - District 7
Rep. Matthew Winslow
Franklin, Vance (partial)
919-715-3032
matthew.winslow@ncleg.govU.S. House - District 1
Rep. Don Davis
Eastern NC incl. Vance, Warren, Halifax
202-225-3101 (DC) · 252-999-7600 (Rocky Mount)
dondavis.house.govDo Your Own Research
Resources & Links
Public records, government agencies, and research organizations referenced in the reports. Go straight to the source.
Local Government
Water & Environment
Regional Organizations
State & Federal
NC SB 730 - Ratepayer Protection Act→
Data center regulation + CEPS/nuclear provisions
NC SB 266 - Clean Energy Rollback→
Eliminated 2030 carbon reduction target
NC Utilities Commission→
Duke Energy rate cases, utility regulation
Economic Development Partnership of NC→
State incentive programs, Tier designations