Florida Enacts Law Regulating Data Center Utility Costs and Water Use

Governor DeSantis has signed a new bill into law, positioning Florida as one of the first states to implement regulations for hyperscale data centers. The legislation aims to protect residents from potential utility bill increases by mandating that tech companies developing data centers bear the full cost of the utilities they consume. Furthermore, the law grants local water management districts the authority to deny permits for data center projects if their water usage is deemed "harmful to the water resources of the area." This measure is intended to mitigate environmental impacts and ensure responsible resource management in the face of growing data center development.