Where southern Wake County House candidates stand on data centers, rising costs
Candidates for North Carolina House District 37, Erin Paré and Winn Decker, shared their stances on data center regulation. Decker advocates for a statewide moratorium and study, citing local concerns over power, water, and noise. Paré proposes state laws requiring data centers to cover infrastructure costs, use closed-loop cooling, and conduct noise assessments.
Candidates for North Carolina House District 37, incumbent Erin Paré (Republican) and challenger Winn Decker (Democrat), have outlined their positions on data center regulation in southern Wake County.
Democrat Winn Decker supports bipartisan legislation like the Datacenter Transparency Act, which would establish a statewide moratorium on data center permits. This moratorium would be pending a study on their impact and the creation of clear regulatory requirements, including protections for taxpayers and neighborhoods. Decker highlighted existing local moratoriums in places like Holly Springs, citing community concerns regarding power, water usage, and noise. He also prioritized lowering energy bills and providing property tax relief.
Republican Erin Paré, an Appropriations Chair and Vice Chair of the Committee on Energy and Public Utilities, believes state law should mandate that data centers cover the full costs of power generation, grid expansions, and transmission line upgrades. She supports requiring closed-loop cooling systems and local noise impact assessments, referencing Senate Bill 730, the "Ratepayer Protection Act," as a suitable starting point. Paré emphasized managing growth costs in southern Wake County, particularly for transportation, water/wastewater capacity, and energy demands, and supports reasonable limits on property tax increases.