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The Maine Legislature hammered out what I consider a good bill (LD 307) to put large data centers on hold until they could be studied by the Legislature. Energy consumption and water consumption have caused significant difficulties in some other states that have not developed standards for these gigantic facilities that are outsized users of public resources. I fear they will be a job killer, destructive to water resources and a major consumer of energy we cannot afford to waste.
Gov. Mills has reservations about signing that bill even though I believe LD 307 is in the best interest of Maine’s climate policies (energy and water consumption), supporting the democratic process, and protecting Maine jobs. Massive data centers are not required by Mainers.
I think data centers are just another way of colonizing Maine for big business interests that have no concern about our iconic, legacy environmental assets, nor will they provide for our future. I see a huge (billions of dollars) effort by unregulated private equity firms to cash in on our state — again.
I urge the governor to sign LD 307 into law.
Becky Bartovics
North Haven
