New Hampshire House tables data center bill
The New Hampshire House of Representatives has voted to table a bipartisan bill that would have restricted towns' ability to regulate data centers. This decision follows concerns raised by Democrats about the environmental impact, water consumption, and electrical capacity demands of data centers. A committee will continue working on a framework for data center regulation in the state.
The New Hampshire House of Representatives voted 304-11 to table a bill that aimed to limit local towns' regulatory power over data centers. The motion was made by Rep. Keith Ammon, R-New Boston, and passed without discussion. The bill, as amended by Rep. Ammon and Rep. Diane Pauer, R-Brookline, would have prevented towns from enacting data center-specific regulations and made data centers a permitted 'by right' land use in commercial and industrial zones.
This amended language diverged significantly from the original bill, sponsored by Sen. Debra Altschiller, D-Stratham, which sought to establish aesthetic and pollution controls and affirm towns' local zoning authority over data centers. During committee discussions, Democrats, including Rep. Laurel Stavis, D-Lebanon, expressed concerns about data centers' environmental impacts, such as heat generation, water use, noise pollution, and the state's electrical capacity. While the committee initially passed the amended bill by a narrow margin, the full House's decision to table it aligned with a broader trend of bipartisan opposition to data centers. House Democrats praised the move, indicating the committee plans to continue developing a regulatory framework for data centers in New Hampshire this summer.