Letter to the editor from Chris Desloge re: data centers
Chris Desloge, a descendant of the town's founding family, has written a letter to the editor urging the Desloge community to proactively engage in informed discussions about potential data center developments within the historic mine footprint. He emphasizes the economic benefits and the potential for a closed-loop water system using subterranean water, highlighting the need for community preparedness before any proposals are formally presented.
Chris Desloge has penned a letter to the editor of the Park Hills Daily Journal, calling for the Desloge, Missouri community to engage in a thorough and informed discussion regarding the potential for data center development within the local mine footprint. Desloge, whose family has a more than 200-year history in the region's mercantile and lead mining businesses, initiated this conversation by writing to the mayor of Desloge, aiming to spur proactive community involvement.
Desloge highlights the significant subterranean water resources in the area, suggesting they could be harnessed for a closed-loop cooling system for data centers, which he believes would make the mines attractive to developers. He stresses the importance of the community understanding the full scope of costs and benefits—economic, environmental, and otherwise—before specific proposals emerge, thereby enabling an informed, rather than reactive, response. He references the historical example of Desloge sustaining its identity during the Park Hills merger discussions by leveraging Walmart's tax revenue.
Praised Desloge's current and past elected leadership for their professionalism and transparency, Desloge expresses confidence that the community's wisdom and intellect will guide decisions. He hopes that if data centers present a real opportunity for economic value, local leaders will ensure all necessary qualifiers and conditions are established, monitored, and measured for the benefit of future generations.