The detrimental effects of data centers and how policymakers are selling out the taxpayers
Louisiana is on the brink of another environmental health disaster, and Big Tech and our policymakers are at the center of this crisis.
In the last few years, our policy makers have fast-tracked the approval of massive data centers, which include Zuckerberg’s largest Meta data center to date, which has a price tag of about $10 billion. Data centers like these are projected to have double the electricity demand as New Orleans on its highest energy day.
The facilities are detrimental to both environmental and community health, as they consume massive amounts of energy and water, rely heavily on the use of fossil fuels, require large amounts of land use and require new gas-fired power plants to operate. Many communities throughout Louisiana are already facing the damning effects of industrial pollution, and most of these communities are rural, low-income communities.
Policymakers are greenlighting the way for Big Tech corporations to profit from tax exemptions and other state funding programs, while Louisiana residents suffer the consequences. Louisiana residents are at the intersection of corporate greed and environmental sacrifice. Historically, Louisiana officials have placed big corporations such as oil and refinery over the health and safety of its people and environment. This shift to cater to the technology industry is not different, and the environmental impacts are not inevitable. They are the result of continued political choice to cater to big corporations, with no regard for the devasting effects it brings. It is beyond time for policy reform to protect Louisiana and its residents from bearing the cost of big business expansions.
Louisiana policymakers showed their continued disregard for its citizens and environmental health by passing legislation that would give data centers 30 years of tax exemptions, instead of the 20 years that were previously decided. These tax exemptions are being given to companies that will create only about 50 permanent jobs and invest only $200 million over the course of the tax exemptions. The Legislative Fiscal Office warned that these tax exemptions and deals for data center companies will drain revenue from the state, which could be tens of millions of dollars each year. That money could be going to improve environmental health through energy efficiency initiatives and support public health.
At a time when Louisiana is facing environmental health impacts that are impacting its air and drinking water quality as well as its coast, it is important to name the environmental risks associated with these data center expansions. The large Meta data center that is under construction in Richland Parish is estimated to emit 5,862 tons of CO2 per year, which is equal to the emissions of 1,108 U.S. homes. In addition to the increase emissions of greenhouse gases, these large data centers also will require Entergy to build three new fossil fuel plants to meet their energy consumption needs.
One of these fossil fuel plants is set to be built in Cancer Alley, which is already dealing with high levels of air pollution tied to cancer health outcomes in the region. The data centers also use large amounts of water to cool the facilities, and a large center can consume up to five million gallons of water per day, which is close to the amount used for a town the size of the entire Richland Parish. Not only do these centers use valuable water supply they also release warm and hot water back into nearby ecosystems such as streams, lakes and groundwater which change their temperature. The environmental effects of these data centers are multifaceted.
However, we have a chance to raise awareness throughout Louisiana and push for protective regulatory reform. Organizations and advocacy groups such as the Union of Concerned Scientists and the Alliance for Affordable Energy have already been using public testimony and litigation to bring to the forefront the concern about environmental health concerns these centers pose on Louisiana. They have been pushing for transparency throughout the process of approval and for regulatory agencies and offices to provide the public with information regarding the potential risks.
We can and should require more be done on the state-level since they have been the main people signing pieces of legislation in favor of Big Tech and not their constituents. We can push for legislation that requires full public transparency of energy infrastructure, which would include emissions estimates and cost impacts.
We need to make the state require these companies to provide third party mandatory environmental and health impact assessments before approval can be granted, as well as community representation in regulatory hearings to ensure those affected have a voice in the process. It should also be required that these big corporations fund clean energy initiatives and environmental restoration projects in the state for the 30 years they will be able to receive tax exemptions.
These data centers were praised by legislators as high-tech economic development; however, Louisiana can embrace technological growth without the price being the health of the environment and residents. We cannot continue to expand the use of fossil fuels knowing the implications just for the sake of big corporations, especially when those corporations do not put their fair share back into protecting Louisiana.
Raising awareness is vital to demanding policy change to protect public health. When residents, health professionals, environmentalists, and advocates publicly call out regulatory decisions that do not put them first, politicians are forced to do their jobs to protect us all.
Louisiana state legislators should be enacting policies that push for technological development while also aligning with sustainability, transparent regulations, and environmental justice. Until they start doing that, we must all continue to organize, inform, and demand that leaders choose pathways that power innovation without compromising clean air, safe water and community health. History has taught us we cannot trust our future in the hands of these politicians, and we must continue to fight for the Louisiana we all deserve, present and future residents.
Ashley “AJ” Jackson is an MPH student at Louisiana State University in Shreveport.
