California joins US states clamping down on data center gold rush

The state of California has joined the growing number of governments and communities at all levels across the US taking proactive, even preemptive, measures to keep data center development under control. California Governor Gavin Newsom signed what he called the “most comprehensive data center laws in the nation” on Monday. While the seven bills don’t block data center development, they do reinforce requirements for reporting data centers’ energy and water use, and ensuring they pay their fair share of utility costs. Other states — and even local community groups — have been taking more direct action. At least 45 projects worth an estimated $68 billion were blocked or delayed in the US in the second quarter, according to research by Data Center Watch. There are now 843 identified opposition groups in the US, and 49 states are scrutinizing data center development, it said. Project disruption remains at an “elevated level” and opposition has become “more local and project-specific,” targeting permitting, infrastructure, and individual policy decisions, according to Data Center Watch. Some communities are getting ahead of development by preemptively mandating data center development …

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