Over 200 environmental organizations have signed a letter to Congress advocating for a national moratorium on new data centers’ approval and construction. Sent on Monday, the letter emphasizes these centers’ impact on water resources, electricity rates, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Data centers consume substantial water to cool computers and require significant electricity, which can elevate regional utility rates and necessitate grid upgrades. Some utilities are planning natural gas plants to meet demand, while some data-center firms are even constructing their own, increasing local emissions.
A study in Nature Sustainability warned that the artificial intelligence industry’s expansion could annually emit as much carbon dioxide as 10 million cars, according to Inside Climate News.
Resistance to data center developments has emerged nationwide, from New York to Alabama. The letter expresses environmental groups’ desire to halt these projects until sufficient regulations ensure community protection.
Eric Weltman, Food & Water Watch’s senior organizer in New York, stated: “We must pause Big Data’s energy and water consumption to prevent massive harm.”
Proponents of data centers highlight economic benefits, including increased tax revenue and job creation. In October, Dan Diorio of the Data Center Coalition told NPR that companies are striving to reduce water usage and pay the full electricity service cost.
In New York, state leadership mainly supports data center development. Governor Kathy Hochul recently told Bloomberg News she wants to attract the tech industry. However, some upstate communities have opposed data center projects, especially cryptocurrency mines.
In Alabama, the Bessemer city council rezoned agricultural land for a new data center, dividing the community over electricity rates, water use, and pollution concerns from diesel generators.
Data centers’ high power consumption in states like Virginia could necessitate grid upgrades, according to Eric Gimon, a consultant with Energy Innovation. A 2024 report found Virginia households might see their bills increase by up to $37 monthly by 2040.
Gimon asserts that solutions exist, highlighting the need to demand their implementation.
Original Story at insideclimatenews.org