Nye County Commissioner, Residents Oppose Pahrump Data Center
Residents in Pahrump, Nevada, gathered to discuss the proposed Manse Technology Campus, which includes data centers. Nye County Commissioner Ian Bayne and local residents voiced strong opposition, citing concerns about water, electricity, and environmental impact. A petition with over 3,000 signatures against data centers was mentioned, with calls for a ban on future development.
A public meeting was convened on July 29 at Our Place Coffee Shop in Pahrump, Nevada, to provide information on the proposed Manse Technology Campus, which features data centers. The event included a panel assembled by the project developers, with consultants Russ Meed and Tim Sutton providing details on the project's water usage, energy supply, and environmental management plans. They clarified that an independent water study indicated an annual water requirement of 197 acre-feet, less than the previously stated "up to 300 acre-feet." Valley Electric was identified as the energy provider.
Nye County Commissioner Ian Bayne attended but declined to participate in the panel discussion, citing that the provided questions were scientific in nature, while his expertise is in law. Bayne expressed strong opposition to the data center project, stating that residents do not want them in Pahrump. He highlighted a petition with over 3,000 signatures against data centers and advocated for a ban to halt further development. He also raised concerns about potential groundwater pollution, referencing the Hinkley, California, case as a cautionary tale.
Attendees, numbering nearly 100, raised questions about the project's cooling methods, water sourcing efficiency, and reclamation. Panel members aimed to provide a balanced spectrum of information. Despite the information provided, strong community sentiment against the project was evident, centered on the protection of local resources like water and the visual impact of data centers at the community's gateway.