A Democratic state legislator is working on a bill proposal that would give local governments control over new data centers.
According to Axios, State Senator Heidi Campbell (D-Nashville) is drafting a bill called the Power to the People Act, which would allow local governments to authorize or deny new data centers in their jurisdiction.
Campbell told the outlet she is contemplating including a provision that would mandate the Tennessee Valley Authority report data centers’ energy usage statistics.
“From water, to traffic, to sound, to the electrical grid, the impact of data centers is all local,” she told Axios.
Campbell (pictured above) said her goal is to “fortify and create protections around municipalities being able to regulate and refuse data centers.”
Numerous local governments around Tennessee have already taken steps to regulate data centers.
Local governments such as Coffee County, Knox County, Hamilton County, Wilson County, and the City of Knoxville have placed moratoria on data centers. The City of St. Joseph and Hawkins County have banned data centers.
Tennessee’s second most populous county, Davidson County, has also implemented a moratorium on data centers until December 1st.
The Metro Nashville Council signed off on using eminent domain to seize private property so a data center could not go in next to the Nashville Zoo.
After the council approved the use of eminent domain, the Nashville Zoo thanked city residents for their support.
“While the Metro Council continues to refine their data center protection policies for the future, we must continue to pay attention. We don’t know yet what will become of the property beside the Zoo that DC Blox owns, but we hope that with all the laws in place, there won’t be a data center,” the zoo said.
Last month, Governor Bill Lee and 23 other Republican governors signed off on President Donald Trump’s pledge to ensure AI companies, rather than ratepayers, pay for data centers.
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network. Email tips to Zachery at [email protected].
Put a Zoo in an industrial zone, then complain and protest when a proper use for the zone is attempted. Geez!?! Move the Zoo back to Joelton – or stop the nonsense about “noise”. The Zoo is in an industrial zone, next to a rail yard, in close proximity to a Major Inter-state highway system, and has plenty of air traffic from a nearby International airport. No FUD
Let’s just ban all new business construction and return to an agrarian society. That will surely put the Chinese on notice.
Fearmongering is a key Democrat strategy.
How about banning truly destructive endeavors such as solar and windmill farms?!!
What a DSA CLOWN! Anything for a crazy DSA MEMBER to control growth. Therefore money! A CRAZY DEMOCRAT and
SCARY PEOPLE! Freddie’s gang!
Gee wiz Heidi, I finally agree with you on an issues. Thank you.
Heidi Campbell? Nope.