Andrews hopes data center guardrail legislation can advance, despite setbacks
State Representative Joey Andrews' legislative package, intended to regulate data centers in Michigan with measures concerning water usage, sound studies, community benefits, and infrastructure costs, has been stalled in the House. Andrews believes the House Speaker is intentionally delaying the bills. Meanwhile, Governor Gretchen Whitmer has introduced a voluntary pledge for data center companies operating in the state.
State Representative Joey Andrews is advocating for a package of legislation in Michigan designed to implement 'guardrails' for large data centers, but the bills have been sidetracked by the House Speaker. The package, introduced last month by Andrews and his colleagues, was sent to the Government Operations Committee, which Andrews describes as the committee where bills go 'to die.' Andrews' bill within the package aims to make data centers responsible for all infrastructure and associated costs, including electricity.
The proposed legislation includes requirements for closed-loop water systems, engineering and sound study reports as part of the approval process, and community benefits packages. Another bill would mandate that data centers maintain decommissioning funds. Andrews suspects the delay by House Republicans is an attempt to avoid taking action before elections. Concurrently, Governor Gretchen Whitmer has unveiled a voluntary pledge for data center companies seeking to establish operations in Michigan, which Andrews suggests is part of a broader conversation about data center protections in the state, despite the legislative setbacks.
Andrews also noted that Republicans have introduced data center moratoriums, which he views as a temporary measure without a long-term plan.