Garret M Campbell

On concerns about hyperscale data centers

The biggest concerns I get from the people of 6th district about the data center, just mostly focuses on how it will affect utility, & how the project wouldn't actually offer any noteworthy benefits for us. Hyperscale data centers are known to eat up electricity like bagged chips & drink up alot of water as a chaser right after. I already hear from the people of Harrisburg about how upset they are with their water bills, with it ranging from 100 to 300 for these people & now imagine how bad it would be having to compete with a singular building that demands more water than your whole town uses. Along with this people aren't really seeing how a data center like that would actually be helpful. Sure the city councils will just wave it off & point to other places & how "It brought them investments & jobs, so it should be good for us", then when you actually go to those places & talk to the people living with data centers nearby, they are upset by them. The biggest one in the country doesn't even employ 200 people, any jobs these places provide are nowhere near the costs they burden the actual people of the community they settle in. Simply put, these hyperscale data centers already ask for far too much from us, & offer far too little in return!

How they’d address those concerns

Part of my current platform already tackles utility costs as a part of lowering housing costs (IE solar panels on government buildings along with low to zero interest state loans to residents who want to put up solar or wind power on their land, along with a grant to upgrade water infrastructure). What we truly need, specifically for these hyperscale data centers, is an official referendum on a city to city level before one of these places goes up in them. The companies need to be able to come in with more than just a promise of 'prosperity & work'. They need to come in with actual proof of how they will negate or counteract the negative effects their center brings to the community. As well as the means & funds to actually fulfill what they are saying. Of course the city & or the state will need to verify it, & this information should also be available to the citizens, since data centers are kinda known for kicking in the door & rushing down there buildings with hastily written approval from councilors, just to get away with what they want before any backlash can stop them. Heck, just in the last election cycle we had that meat packing plant going up in Sioux Falls be one of the things the people could vote on, I see no reason why we can't force the same on these data centers. While a hyperscale data center may not be as smelly as a meat packing plant, it sure is louder than one, along with it's utility guzzling there is no doubt in my mind that they count as a building that would be within the public's interest to decide the fate of.