Data center opposition meets ND transparency debate
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As North Dakota legislators prepare to take up the issue of transparency surrounding data centers, a recent poll showed public opposition to the facilities is growing nationwide.
A new Heatmap News survey found 75% of Americans somewhat or strongly oppose having a data center built in their community.
Holly Burch, a retiree in Morton County, is one of them. While some landowners are willing to sell their property for the projects, Burch claimed data center developers often target retired or absentee landowners in areas where they do not think anybody will pay attention.
“There’s a lot that seems to be done with nondisclosure agreements. All of a sudden, someone’s neighbor is getting this massive multimillion-dollar check and you’ve got earth movers coming in and tearing up the property across the road. I know some families this is happening to right now,” Burch noted.
Morton County is among several across the state with moratoriums on new data center applications and ordinances for future facilities.
Legislators begin a special session Sept. 2 and could consider restricting nondisclosure agreements between local governments and developers. Sen. David Hogue, R-Minot, the Senate majority leader, said permitting and zoning decisions should be made openly, while industry advocates countered strict regulations could block valuable projects.
There is no centralized state agency overseeing the projects, so data center ventures must get local zoning and permitting approval from county commissions and townships. As North Dakota communities consider a wave of proposed facilities, concerns about power use are also growing.
Burch, who has a background in electrical generation, questioned whether enough reliable power will be available.
“We’ve got these data centers that want to come in and claim that they can be up and running within a couple of years. They’re fast-tracking that much. The math isn’t mathing as to where the power supply for them is going to come from,” Burch said.
While supporters argued data centers drive economic growth and bring high-paying jobs, Burch pointed to yearslong lead times for necessary equipment and shortages of skilled workers. Burch recognized the need for data services but has concerns development is moving faster than communities, utilities and the power grid can handle.
North Dakota currently has three data centers under construction and another 12 planned projects, according to U.S. Data Center Map.