Gary Hudiburgh

On concerns about hyperscale data centers

The concerns I hear from citizens are about impact on the local community, and they are concrete. Water draw on aquifers that farms, ranches, and small towns already depend on. Electricity demand large enough to drive up rates for the families and businesses already on the grid. Property tax abatements that shift the burden onto neighbors instead of newcomers. Land use decisions that get made in conference rooms in other states and arrive in our counties as a done deal. Noise and heat from cooling systems that change what it feels like to live next door. Construction traffic on county roads built for a different kind of weight. And underneath all of it, a question of consent. Hyperscale facilities are some of the largest industrial installations a rural community will ever host. Citizens want to know who decided, who benefits, who pays the bill when the lights flicker or the well runs low, and what recourse they have if the answers turn out wrong. That is not opposition to development. That is the basic civic question of who gets a seat at the table.

How they’d address those concerns

I would address them with transparency at the front end, real time monitoring during operations, and accountability on the back end. Before a project is permitted, the community deserves a full public accounting of projected water and electricity consumption, the rate impact on existing customers, the property tax structure, and the road and emergency services load. Counties and townships need a real voice, not a notice after the decision is made. During operations, real time monitoring of aquifer draw, municipal water usage, and grid load should be publicly accessible. Air quality and decibel monitoring are also necessary. Trailer mounted generators are often used at these sites, and they create significant noise and emissions that affect the people living nearby. We also need to build the workforce pipeline. Partnering with Dakota State University on educational programming tied to data center operations would keep South Dakotans in South Dakota, working the jobs these facilities create rather than watching them go to imported labor. And on the back end, decommissioning bonds posted up front so cleanup does not fall on taxpayers if the company leaves. Build with the people who live here, not around them.