data centers
They are greedy neighbors.
Because of them, our electricity costs increase. They typically siphon power off the shared grid and ask for tax breaks so they don’t pay their fair share. The costs to upgrade the power infrastructure to support them are usually passed on to residential and small commercial consumers.
They consume massive amounts of our water from local sources and can put toxic contaminants back into it. Larger data centers can consume up to 5 million gallons a day, which can dry out private shallow wells. Dumping waste water into local rivers can stress fish populations and trigger toxic algal blooms. Their cooling systems use chemical biocides to prevent bacteria, mold, and algae growth and this toxic material can contaminate the surrounding ecosystem.
They provide few economic benefits to local communities. Data centers are often built with no windows because they employ very few full-time on-site workers. And while construction of data centers does generate short-term jobs, there is no requirement to use local or union labor.
WHAT HAS REP MOUL DONE?
Moul has supported a number of bills designed to encourage data center construction despite the likely increase in costs to private consumers and risks to the water supply and the environment. He voted against a bill to help municipalities regulate data centers effectively to meet local needs. He voted against HB 1834 (2025), which passed with bi-partisan support, to require commercial data centers to source a portion of their power from renewable energy and to contribute to ratepayer assistance programs.
He voted against HB 2151 (2025), which passed with bi-partisan support, to give municipalities guidance on setting standards for data center development and operations. He voted against HB 2246 (2025), which passed with bipartisan support, that requires data centers to report substantial water usage to DEP in order to accurately track how much water each facility consumes
WHAT WOULD KATHLEEN PRATT DO?
You’ve heard me say, “not on my watch,” because of skyrocketing costs to consumers, poisoning of the environment, and the community’s longing to protect our rural landscape. Unless data centers can ensure that consumer costs won’t increase and resources are protected, I stand by, “not on my watch.”
Take me back to Issues.