Opinion: Protect New Hampshire neighborhoods and grid from unchecked data centers

Carleigh Beriont, chair of the Hampton Select Board and a Democratic candidate for Congress, has voiced strong opposition to a bill recommended by the New Hampshire State House Committee on Municipal and County Government. She criticizes the Republican majority for advancing legislation that would diminish local governments' authority to regulate data center construction, arguing it prioritizes "Big Tech" over residents' welfare. Beriont supports State Senator Debra Altschiller's original Senate Bill 439, which aimed to establish statewide data center requirements. This legislation would have restricted data centers to commercial/industrial zones, imposed setbacks and noise pollution limits, and preserved local zoning control. Beriont, echoing State Representative Tom Cormen, highlights the significant strain data centers place on the power grid, their substantial water consumption, and the ecological impact of discharging cooling water, as well as noise pollution. She dismisses the House committee's revised bill as an "abdication" of responsibility. Beriont advocates for a moratorium on data center construction until comprehensive legislation is enacted. Such legislation would require companies to mitigate their impact on public health, the environment, and energy prices, alongside robust antitrust enforcement and data privacy protections, arguing against self-regulation by tech companies.