Gov. Mikie Sherrill: New Jersey Has the ‘Most Comprehensive Data Center Plan With Guardrails in the Nation’

RUSH EXCERPT:

SHERRILL: “That’s exactly what we set out to do. And I think we have in New Jersey, we have put out the most comprehensive data center plan with guardrails in the nation because while, yes, when we want to take on how we are going to cure cancer or alzheimer’s, it’s very important to have that computing power. But at the same time, towns should not be left holding the bag. And in too many cases, we were seeing bad data center operators, either with energy usage driving up costs for people, water usage. We were seeing environmental damage. We’re seeing just noise pollution and towns really impacted by that. So that’s why we put out these guardrails saying, look, if your data center, you have to bring your own power, you have to report to us your power and water usage. So we can monitor that. You have to negotiate community benefits, things like a new turf field or a new community center that a town needs. And each town in New Jersey is different."