Minnesota, we must get in the weeds with proposed data centers in our communities.
Open the door slowly, oh so slowly.
I’m staggered to find myself looking at a single landscape that has emerged to threaten everything that I care about in one fell swoop: smart energy use, conservation of water, recycling metal resources and protecting farm land.
Just what are data centers about? Essentially they are large warehouses filled with computers that handle AI and our digital needs. A quick glimpse: 10 new data centers are being proposed in Minnesota. The largest is the size of 25 Target stores. Energy use of 10 data centers = energy use of ALL Minnesota homes. The proposed Farmington operation would use twice as much water as the whole city itself. Whoa …what?
Granted, there are promises to use sustainable energy to meet the huge increased need for electricity production but only good intentions there, no guarantees, no teeth so far. And the delivery, the grid, the extra lines? Who pays for these? And using less water is a goal, but again so far we have no identifiable requirements. Aside from construction jobs, data centers only add 20-50 long term jobs. Greenlighting these facilities is more like approving a bridge or a highway than any business. This is a complex and significant new issue.
As Minnesota citizens, it’s our job to insist that there be the best possible guidelines for this coming chapter.
Within the next five years we must bring our best minds to the job of striking the right balance between critical digital infrastructure and responsible use of public funds, precious resources and open land. We will need serious conversation and collaboration between many sectors.
Slow down, be smart, make educated choices Minnesotans.
— Karen Hannah, Stillwater