This week, some Lexington residents were surprised to learn that a larger data center is coming to their community and one state lawmaker says the lack of transparency with data center projects in Kentucky is a problem.The form er Lexmark data center on New Circle Road was sold to DartPoints Operating Company, a Dallas-based business that operates nearly a dozen data centers across the country, for $29 million. According to a press release, the company plans to expand the facility's data center infrastructure.State Rep. Adam Moore of Lexington said he heard from constituents almost immediately after the sale became known."I had someone text me immediately because they live in the neighborhood adjacent to it, saying 'Why am I just now hearing about this?' Why is this not going through some type of public zoning meetings?" Moore said.The property is already zoned in a way that permits data centers, and a Kentucky Utilities substation is on site.DartPoints says it works to build data center infrastructure and scale it as customer needs grow.Moore believes the public should have been made aware of the expansion project before the sale. He is pushing the Kentucky General Assembly to require more transparency when data center projects come to communities."Any way that we can express ourselves before we know that a data center company is moving in next door," Moore said.Moore says Kentuckians want a stronger regulations."They want even more protections, whether that's guardrails on transparency and public input, whether that is more environmental protections. The people of Kentucky absolutely want us to take a role in this and not just sit idly by to allow the utility companies and the billionaire corporations to essentially set policy on their own," Moore said. ...read more read less