Nottingham to hear early plans for data center
Businessman Thomas Moulton is proposing a data center project on a 150-acre parcel in Nottingham, New Hampshire. The Nottingham Planning Board is scheduled to review the conceptual plans for the facility, which Moulton believes will benefit the local economy. However, the proposal has already generated substantial opposition, with a petition against it collecting nearly 15,000 signatures.
New Hampshire businessman Thomas Moulton is proposing a data center on his 150-acre property at 145 Old Turnpike Road in Nottingham. The Nottingham Planning Board is set to review the conceptual presentation for the project, which Moulton believes will significantly benefit the local economy and technology infrastructure. The meeting's location may be changed to accommodate an expected large attendance.
Moulton plans for the data center to operate using high-volume wells and a closed-loop cooling system, emphasizing that no water would be discharged from the property. He highlights the growing reliance on such facilities for cloud computing and AI, and their importance for national security.
Despite Moulton's assurances, the proposal has sparked significant local opposition. A Change.org petition against the data center, started by Brad Weit, has gathered nearly 15,000 signatures, reflecting public concerns about the environmental impact and extensive water consumption of data centers. The article notes that while some states are considering moratoriums on data center development, similar legislation recently failed in New Hampshire and was vetoed in neighboring Maine. Moulton describes the project as being in an exploratory phase, anticipating a 12-18 month completion if approved, and projecting minimal traffic impact and substantial tax revenues.