Many folks, including myself, care about protecting our water and mitigating climate change. Investing in renewable energy and leaving fossil fuels behind is an essential transition here and now. Our state can be a leader in supporting solar, wind, geothermal and other renewable energy sources, and I hope our legislators will do so.
Abundant renewable energy has potential to lower electricity costs for ratepayers. However, in tandem with this, we must limit data center expansion and curb excess corporate energy use. It’s concerning that data centers are consuming massive amounts of water and electricity, and in many cases the costs are being passed unequally to residential ratepayers.
I ask our legislators to please support House Bill 2515/Senate Bill 6171 and HB 2245/SB 5982, as they will encourage responsible data center development and curb excess sprawl.
Environmental health and climate action have never been more important. Renewable energy expansion is a necessary smart move, and will lower costs for residential ratepayers. Let’s prioritize these people when deciding whether or not to allow more data centers in our communities. And by doing so, we’ll protect farmland, wildlife habitat and the natural open spaces that make our state beautiful.
Rebecca Canright, Rockport
