A community that refuses a data center risks not getting a data center. The industry would like everyone to take this danger seriously.

CalMatters reports that California cities are adopting or considering construction pauses even after the state passed seven laws addressing disclosure, environmental studies and grid protection. Oakland approved a 45-day moratorium on new approvals. San Francisco adopted a similar pause.

Doug Kelly of the American Edge Project argues for community guarantees on costs and resources. He acknowledges that earlier projects lacked sufficient community input. He also warns that blanket bans destroy negotiating power and send billion-dollar investment elsewhere.

That is a persuasive argument if the negotiation concerns how to obtain the facility. It gets more complicated if the residents have successfully negotiated with themselves and decided they would like it elsewhere.

Make powerful people uncomfortable.
Subscribe to Democrawonk.