Applied Digital and Boyce Reach Community Benefit Agreement
The Town of Boyce has reached a community benefit agreement with Applied Digital that will provide $4 million to support improvements, infrastructure enhancements and economic growth within the town, officials announced Wednesday, October 14. Applied Digital agrees to $4 million community benefit deal for Boyce Applied Digital is the digital infrastructure company building a $3.6 billion data center, called the Delta Forge I AI Factory, just across the street from Boyce. Applied Digital agrees to $4 million community benefit deal for Boyce This agreement came about after discussions involving Louisiana Central and Applied Digital focused on ensuring the town receives tangible, lasting benefits from the data center project, according to town leadership. Applied Digital agrees to $4 million community benefit deal for Boyce Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say
Town of Boyce Mayor Kelvin McCoy released a statement Wednesday emphasizing the importance of the deal for residents. “This is a tremendous opportunity for the Town of Boyce and the people who call this community home. From the beginning, I believed that a project of this magnitude should create meaningful opportunities not only for the region, but for the communities closest to it. I made it a priority to advocate for Boyce and ensure our town had a seat at the table. This $4 million agreement represents an opportunity to make improvements that will benefit our residents, strengthen our infrastructure and help us build a better future for generations to come.” Applied Digital agrees to $4 million community benefit deal for Boyce The mayor’s remarks highlight a deliberate effort to secure direct advantages for Boyce from the nearby development.
Louisiana Central CEO and President Chris Masingill also commented on the arrangement, noting that it aligned with “Boyce’s geographic location, connectivity and relationship to the project area.” Applied Digital agrees to $4 million community benefit deal for Boyce Applied Digital’s Community Engagement Coordinator Gail Adams praised Mayor McCoy’s advocacy and stated that the company “appreciate[s] his commitment to ensuring that his community shares in the opportunities created by Delta Forge 1.” Applied Digital agrees to $4 million community benefit deal for Boyce These statements reflect coordinated outreach between the company, local officials and regional partners.
Meta Data Center Power Needs Draw Opposition and Utility Response
Meta’s data center under construction in Richland Parish is estimated to consume roughly 4,500 megawatts of power on a continual basis. Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say For context, Entergy New Orleans customers set a single-day record by consuming 1,160 megawatts of power from the utility during peak demand in June 2022. Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say “That is absurd for a single project that nobody asked for and nobody was consulted about,” said Kendall Berry, a volunteer organizer with the Take the Power Back campaign. Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say
Entergy has lobbied the state’s Public Service Commission to fast-track its plans to ultimately build 10 new gas-fueled power plants to meet the electrical needs of Meta’s data center in north Louisiana. Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say In a filing last month with MISO, the electrical grid operator for the central United States, Entergy revealed the proposed substation located near the data center will generate 4,500 megawatts of power for the facility. Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say The scale of the proposed infrastructure has prompted public discussion about planning processes and impacts on surrounding communities.
On Tuesday (Oct. 13), members of the Take Power Back campaign gathered at New Orleans City Hall to protest a proposed zoning change that would allow for smaller data centers to be developed within the city. Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say The grassroots campaign also protests the Richland Parish data center, claiming such facilities will hurt the environment and cause energy bills to rise. Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say “They’re putting a huge strain on the energy grid. They’re putting a strain on our water supply. And they have to build all these gas-fired power plants that are going to pollute our air,” said Devorah Lea, volunteer organizer with the Take the Power Back campaign. Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say Organizers have framed their efforts around concerns for ratepayers and environmental quality across the state.
Entergy Louisiana pushed back on claims of driving up ratepayer bills. The company previously said its 20-year deal with Meta includes the social media giant paying for the huge amounts of electrical infrastructure being built. Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say Entergy also emphasizes the more than 1,500 jobs attached to that buildout. Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say “Entergy has already addressed these concerns extensively, and the facts have not changed,” the company said in a statement. “The Richland Parish data center will pay its full and fair share -- and then some -- ensuring other customers are not subsidizing its energy needs. Governor (Jeff) Landry has been clear that data centers must pay their own way in Louisiana, and this project aligns directly with that directive, bringing with it significant investment and long‑term benefits to the state.” Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say The utility maintains that the project structure protects existing customers while supporting economic activity.
Louisiana Public Service Commission Decision on Meta Disclosures
The Louisiana Public Service Commission recently voted down its administrative law judge’s order that would have required Meta to disclose how it calculated job projections and electricity needs for its Richland Parish data center project. ‘LaPolitics’ Q&A: Scrutinizing the costs of powering Meta Logan Burke, executive director with the Alliance for Affordable Energy, commented on the commission’s action. ‘LaPolitics’ Q&A: Scrutinizing the costs of powering Meta The decision leaves questions about transparency and calculation methods unresolved at this stage.
Why it matters for Louisiana
The $4 million agreement in Boyce provides direct funding for infrastructure and growth tied to a major AI data center investment. Applied Digital agrees to $4 million community benefit deal for Boyce At the same time, the Meta project in Richland Parish involves large-scale power infrastructure commitments and ongoing regulatory review of cost allocation and transparency. Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say ‘LaPolitics’ Q&A: Scrutinizing the costs of powering Meta These developments illustrate how data center projects intersect with local community benefits, utility planning, and state oversight processes. Local agreements like the one in Boyce demonstrate one approach to sharing project gains, while the Richland Parish situation shows the complexities of matching massive power demands with existing grid capacity and regulatory expectations. Observers note that both cases involve coordination among companies, municipalities, utilities and state agencies. The outcomes in each instance could influence how future data center proposals are evaluated and negotiated across Louisiana. Community leaders in Boyce have expressed optimism that the funding will support tangible upgrades, while critics of the Meta project continue to raise issues about long-term costs and environmental effects. Regulatory bodies such as the Public Service Commission remain central to decisions on disclosure requirements and infrastructure approvals. As these projects advance, the balance between economic development, infrastructure needs and public accountability continues to shape discussions statewide.
Evidence Used
- Applied Digital agrees to $4 million community benefit deal for Boyce Applied Digital agrees to $4 million community benefit deal for Boyce — Applied Digital agrees to $4 million community benefit deal for Boyce
- Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say — Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say
- Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say — Massive power needs of Meta data center in Richland Parish are ‘absurd,’ opponents say
- ‘LaPolitics’ Q&A: Scrutinizing the costs of powering Meta ‘LaPolitics’ Q&A: Scrutinizing the costs of powering Meta — ‘LaPolitics’ Q&A: Scrutinizing the costs of powering Meta