Tamara Grove

On concerns about hyperscale data centers

In District 26 we host the Missouri River and miles upon miles of beautiful farm and ranch land. We wear cowboy hats and we have cattle! The best of what we have to offer, I fear, makes us the perfect fit for hyperscale data centers. The reality is that our waters are depleted due to a multi-year drought across the Upper Basin. We have also had dry winters. With the amount of water, a hyperscale data center needs to cool, its systems would quickly put us in a dire situation. Not to mention the electricity required to power it. I don't know that our power grid can handle the demands of a hyperscale data center. And of course, the noise. One of the best things about being in this area is the quiet. Our entire quality of life would be negatively impacted by the sounds alone. From a political perspective, we have had a legislator in the House for eight years who supports carbon pipelines and data centers. She has teamed up with Dusty Johnson to secure my Senate position. If she wins this area WILL see data centers. And I would guess pipelines will be back on the "it's all for economic development" scam as well.

How they’d address those concerns

I think there needs to be two strategies 1) We need a constitutional amendment that clarifies eminent domain for private gain. I know some believe these things are already covered, but I do not. If the House and Senate return to liberal Republicans, it will only take a few legislative bills to revert us to where we were with SB201. A well-written constitutional amendment will ensure that these types of things require a popular vote of the people. 2) To pair with an amendment we should have clarifying codified law that makes it nearly impossible for them to repeat what happened with SB201, HB1185 and HB1186. Last year, good legislation like HB1246 (an act to prohibit nondisclosures regarding data centers), SB 232 (a one-year moratorium), or HB 1301 (a moratorium through June 2027) were killed in the House. The latter two options would give us time to assess the one being built in Ellendale, ND. Also, HB1249 (protect landowners from the use of deception, fraud, harassment, intimidation, misrepresentation, or threat in acquiring easements or easement options). The fact that all these bills were killed tells you that we do not have enough conservatives in office; this must change.