The proposed construction of new data centers across our region has sparked concerns over water usage and community impact. Data centers, which are massive server farms, generate less truck traffic than a warehouse, but they often require more electricity than thousands of homes and use thousands of gallons of water every day to cool the computers. With the emergence of AI technology, proposals to build them are popping up everywhere. Right now, data centers are currently proposed in South Whitehall Township, Upper Macungie Township, Lower Mount Bethel Township, and Limerick Township, just to name a few. James Kern, a commissioner in Warren County, New Jersey, believes it's time to slow down. He argues that the county should offer expertise to local municipalities to create ordinances that can start discussions on how to handle these new data centers. Kern has sent an ordinance to localities all over the county, and some have already adopted it, banning the construction of data centers without a special exemption. He is particularly concerned about water use, stating that if these data centers are pulling from well water, it can be incredibly damaging to residential homes and local businesses. People in other localities have started petitions to fight the proposed data centers, and Kern's ordinance aims to prevent them from reaching that point. He believes that by pausing, planning, and developing smartly, we can determine the right places for these data centers to exist.
