Data center health worries animate midterm campaigns
Summary
Proposed data centers have become a local health concern and a campaign issue in communities including Page, Arizona. Residents and some elected officials cite possible pollution, noise, light, and heat effects, while researchers and advocacy groups are examining potential risks.Key Facts
- Page approved the sale of 500 acres for a proposed $10 billion data center, but the project still needs zoning and other approvals.
- The developer has not decided where within the 500 acres the facility would be located.
- Residents in Page have signed petitions and organized against the proposal, citing concerns about health and environmental effects.
- Candidates in a close race for Arizona's 1st Congressional District disagree over new data centers, and Arizona's attorney general has called for a pause on new approvals and construction.
- Data centers use large amounts of electricity and may rely on backup gas generators during periods of peak energy demand.
- A University of California, Riverside-led modeling study estimated data center emissions could cause nearly 1,300 deaths annually by 2030 and create a public health burden exceeding $20 billion in 2028.
- Environmental and advocacy groups have also raised concerns about cooling chemicals, generator and equipment noise, light pollution, and higher local temperatures.
- A political science professor said grassroots opposition has grown quickly and could put officials who backed data center projects at risk in elections.
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