Adam Bair

On concerns about hyperscale data centers

The aggressive push to build hyperscale data centers in our community has ignited fierce resistance, and for good reason. For the residents of District 10, the arrival of these projects represents a profound threat to our resources, financial well-being, and quality of life. The toll on our communities cannot be ignored. Hyperscale data centers require millions of gallons of water, threatening local water systems and natural waterways. In addition, their gargantuan power demand strains the regional electrical grid. When utilities must build new substations and transmission lines to handle this demand, the financial burden routinely shifts onto everyday families and small businesses through higher monthly utility bills. In exchange, communities are polluted with constant low-frequency mechanical noise, constant light pollution, and very few permanent jobs to justify the disruption. Equally alarming is the politicians facilitating this expansion. Community leaders and elected officials have chosen to operate in the dark. Public resources are negotiated behind non-disclosure agreements with multinational tech giants under corporate code names, shell companies, and PACS. They deprive citizens of a voice until deals are finalized and our quality of life has been sold off to whichever tech company offers the sweetest deal. Worse still, these wealthy corporations are routinely granted massive tax abatements, while corporate-aligned money quietly flows into campaign coffers. This cozy relationship erodes the core of representative democracy, leaving residents to wonder whose interests their leaders actually serve. The people of District 10 have watched other states suffer through water shortages, soaring electricity rates, environmental destruction, and broken promises. We will not allow our neighborhoods to become passive conduits for corporate profit. Our environment, our quality of life, and our public health are not for sale. Citizens demand leaders who stand with constituents rather than corporate donors.

How they’d address those concerns

I am proud to be one of the candidates who signed the Data Center Accountability Pledge. I believe that an important first step is electing officials who see the danger these hyperscale data centers pose and take that danger seriously. I believe that a multi-year moratorium on hyperscale data centers is necessary to fully study and review the impact of these projects. South Dakota needs to fully evaluate how citizens can be protected from utility cost hikes to prevent undue burden on utility users. State government should set guidelines for hyperscale data centers to reduce their consumption during extreme weather events to protect grid reliability. South Dakota should demand the use of closed-loop cooling systems and ban the dumping of any used water from these data centers into our natural waterways. Limits should also be placed on the noise and light pollution produced by these data centers. Developers and operators of hyperscale data centers should also be held to the promises they make to the communities in which they want to build these projects. If a project fails to produce the promised jobs, pollutes the environment, abandons its projects, or fails to meet the promises made to the community. They should pay the community back any special benefits they received in order to build the project in the first place. Finally, the decision-making power should be placed back in the hands of the people. Nondisclosure agreements between elected officials and developers should never be kept from the public. The citizens should be allowed to make public comment and seek answers to the questions and concerns surrounding these projects. The citizens of South Dakota have the ultimate say. Elected officials should ensure that their voices are heard and respected.