Maine data center advisory council hears from the public

The Maine Data Center Advisory Council, established by Governor Janet Mills, held a public hearing to solicit input on potential state regulations for data center developments. The council's mandate is to formulate policy recommendations, which they intend to submit to the state legislature in January.

During the meeting, an environmental advocate from Slingshot voiced concerns about the lack of public transparency in data center projects. She cited an instance where Wiscasset residents only became aware of a data center proposal when local councilors discussed funding for a land parcel initially considered for affordable housing. The advocate asserted that data center deals are frequently conducted in secret, as public participation often leads to significant opposition to such projects. The public has an opportunity to submit written comments until the following day.