New Hampshire lawmakers propose bill to ban data center NDAs, address development concerns
New Hampshire lawmakers Jim Maggiore and Laurel Stavis detail new legislation they have filed to prohibit non-disclosure agreements between municipalities and data center developers. This comes after a previous pro-data center bill was tabled due to public opposition, and as a hyperscale facility is being considered in Bow without public details.
Reps. Jim Maggiore and Laurel Stavis, both Democrats and members of the House Municipal and County Government Committee, have filed a bill for the upcoming New Hampshire legislative term aimed at increasing transparency in data center development. The proposed legislation would prohibit non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) between towns and data center developers, and guarantee citizens a voice in developments on state-owned land.
This action follows intense public opposition to data centers across the state, which led to the successful tabling of a Republican-proposed bill that would have granted developers "by right" permission to establish facilities in any New Hampshire municipality. The lawmakers note that approximately 70% of the public now opposes data centers in their communities, yet town officials in Bow are reportedly considering a hyperscale facility with no public details forthcoming.
The representatives also highlight that colleagues in the House are drafting additional legislation to address critical impacts of data centers, including utility rates, water usage, and noise pollution. They argue that while NDAs can be useful, their use by public officials and developers to obscure information from residents directly affected by projects constitutes a deceptive practice that undermines citizens' right to participate in their communities.