Palo City Council to discuss a data center ordinance
The Palo City Council is holding a public meeting to discuss a data center ordinance, focusing on water usage and oversight. This new proposal would defer water oversight to the Iowa DNR, contrasting with Linn County's earlier effort that required a water study. Google, the company involved, previously pulled out of the county deal and is now working with the City of Palo.
The Palo City Council is scheduled to hold a public hearing to discuss a proposed data center ordinance. KCRG-TV9's Charles Hart reported that this ordinance differs from a previous proposal by Linn County Supervisors earlier this year, which would have required a water study to assess the data center's water consumption.
Google, the company behind the data center project, withdrew from the Linn County deal in March and is now collaborating solely with the City of Palo. Palo's ordinance proposal would transfer water oversight responsibilities for future data centers to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). However, the DNR has not yet indicated whether it has the capacity to monitor such a large project or what specific regulations would apply.
Palo Mayor Bryan Busch stated that the city council could still impose additional requirements. The proposed data center is projected to use over 10 million gallons of water daily. The Palo Planning and Zoning Commission did not include additional water restrictions in its recommendations. A local resident, who frequently kayaks in Pleasant Creek, expressed concerns about the data center's potential impact on the region's water, land, and future, advocating for a stronger ordinance.
The public hearing is set for 7 PM at the Palo Community Center Gym. The Duane Arnold Nuclear Plant, which is in the process of coming back online, was mentioned as a potential power source for the proposed data center.