University of Iowa partnership aims to help Iowans weigh data center impacts
The University of Iowa's Tippie College of Business and College of Law have released the Iowa Data Center Decision Tool, a resource to help Iowa communities evaluate the economic and environmental impacts of data center development. The tool assists local leaders in implementing policies to protect their communities and understand issues like resource consumption and potential pollution. It was created to address a lack of clear information on data center development in the state, with examples of Linn and Johnson counties already having moratoriums in place.
The University of Iowa's Tippie College of Business and College of Law have partnered to launch the Iowa Data Center Decision Tool, a resource designed to assist Iowa communities in evaluating the economic and environmental implications of new data center developments. The initiative, led by Mae McDonough, Tippie Dean’s Office program coordinator and adjunct professor, and Jennifer Terry, Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative Director, responds to a significant knowledge gap among local leaders regarding data center impacts and policy implementation.
The five-page decision tool poses questions to community leaders, prompting them to consider various aspects of a data center project. These include resource consumption, potential job creation and revenue, environmental pollution from construction, and the specific uses of the data center. The goal is to equip cities with the information needed to make informed and responsible decisions that benefit community health.
The rapid growth of the data center industry has often left communities unprepared to manage potential issues or capitalize on benefits, highlighting the urgency for such a resource. Charlie Nichols, Linn County’s director of planning and development, collaborated on the tool's development, noting that counties like Linn and Johnson have already enacted moratoriums on new data centers to gather more information and protect their areas from potentially irresponsible development. He emphasized that the tool will provide a baseline of knowledge for local governments across the state to adopt suitable zoning codes and regulations.
McDonough affirmed that the decision tool is a "living document" that will evolve as the industry changes, underscoring its dynamic nature. The creators hope to expand their work in this rapidly moving issue, providing vetted, Iowa-specific information to help communities make sound policy decisions regarding data centers.