The Darter Fish and the Data Center
Birmingham Darter Faces Extinction Threat Amid Data Center Construction in Alabama
A newly identified fish species, the Birmingham darter, is under threat from a proposed massive data center in central Alabama. Yale University biologist Thomas Near warns that this development could devastate the species’ dwindling habitat, essential for its survival. The darter, found primarily in Valley Creek and Little Blue Creek, has already faced local extinction in Five Mile Creek due to industrial impacts.
As construction looms, opponents, including local residents, stress the environmental consequences outweigh the promised economic benefits of the $14.5 billion project, which may take a decade to complete. Concerns center on severe water quality degradation and habitat destruction. The proposed site, encompassing nearly 700 acres, would require clearcutting over 100 acres, jeopardizing the remaining habitats of this unique fish.
The Birmingham darter is classified as critically threatened due to its micro-endemic nature, and although recently identified, it lacks Endangered Species Act protections. Local activists, like Marshall Killingsworth, have mobilized against the project, arguing for sustainable stewardship of the environment. Despite ongoing legal challenges, city officials, bound by non-disclosure agreements, remain tight-lipped. As a zoning meeting approaches, residents express hope for their voices to be heard amid fears of irreversible ecological loss.
Community leaders emphasize the ethical responsibility to protect such unique ecosystems, advocating for urgent action to preserve the Birmingham darter and the delicate environment it inhabits.
Read the complete article here: https://insideclimatenews.org/news/16062025/the-darter-fish-and-the-data-center/
