Panel offers tips on dealing with data centers

A Tri-County Summit held in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, on Friday convened commissioners and officials from Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties to address the multifaceted impacts of data centers on local communities. The discussions, moderated by Wayne County Commissioner Melissa Daub, underscored the critical importance of local control over data center development, especially given that most Michigan counties lack direct zoning authority, leaving the responsibility to municipalities. Key concerns raised by panelists included infrastructure demands, energy consumption, water usage, and the need for comprehensive decommissioning plans to prevent future environmental issues. Rita Reynolds, director of public sector for CAI, advocated for municipalities to conduct thorough fiscal impact studies before approving data center projects to ensure resident needs are met. She also highlighted the prevalence of misinformation regarding data centers on social media and stressed the importance of transparent communication with constituents, suggesting officials address common complaints like noise while informing residents about fiber optic benefits. Reynolds noted that while noise remains a concern, new technologies are emerging to mitigate it, and data centers generally do not increase utility costs for consumers. Victor Angry, Supervisor of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors in Virginia, shared his county's experiences dealing with over 40 proposed or active data centers. He corroborated the challenge of combating misinformation and emphasized the necessity of consistent communication with citizens from project inception to completion. Angry recounted how his county adapted plans to address aesthetic concerns (making buildings look like office structures) and water usage (proposing closed-loop systems) but noted that noise and power consumption remain significant challenges for his jurisdiction. Mike Shriberg, director of the University of Michigan Water Center, highlighted a critical lack of disclosure regarding data center proposals, particularly concerning water usage, as permits are often not required for withdrawals from municipal systems. He explained the trade-off between high water use for cooling and high energy use for alternative cooling methods, advocating for data centers to be located on brownfields with existing excess infrastructure. Shriberg observed widespread bipartisan opposition to industrial facilities like data centers in residential areas.