Palo data center ordinance raises water usage concerns

The Palo Planning and Zoning Commission recently advanced an ordinance pertaining to a proposed Google data center slated for construction near the Duane Arnold nuclear power plant in Palo, Iowa. This move, however, has drawn criticism from local residents and environmental groups, who contend the proposed regulations do not adequately safeguard water resources. The ordinance specifically defers water regulation for all future data centers to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Wally Taylor, legal counsel for the Sierra Club, expressed concerns about the ordinance's lack of clarity regarding potential impacts on water quality, especially given the data center's projected daily water consumption exceeding 10 million gallons. Taylor has urged community members to lobby the Palo City Council, arguing that the current ordinance is too weak and requires significant strengthening.

Palo Mayor Bryan Busch acknowledged public concerns on social media, clarifying that the Planning and Zoning Commission's action is merely an initial step and that the City Council retains the authority to implement additional regulations. This current proposal starkly contrasts an earlier one by Linn County supervisors, which Google abandoned in March, that would have mandated a comprehensive water study for the project. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has not yet commented on the specific regulations Google's data center would face or its capacity to monitor such a large-scale project.