Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed 7 bills intended to give California communities more information about the impact of proposed data centers.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed “seven bills aimed at giving communities more information about proposed data centers’ energy, water, workforce and land use to help weigh their economic costs and benefits” on Sept. 21, Robyn Griggs Lawrence writes for Smart Cities Dive. According to Data Center Map, California has 296 data centers.
One bill commands the California Public Utilities Commission to scrutinize data centers’ energy use and make sure they pay for transmission and distribution upgrades, and two more make it a requirement for “data centers to pay all infrastructure upgrade and generation costs, bear a larger share of wildfire mitigation and liability costs, and undergo environmental review,” Smart Cities Dive reports. Another bill requires data centers to report their energy consumption to the California Energy Commission every month.
Two more bills require potential data center developers to create a water scarcity plan and complete a water supply assessment while in the permitting phase. Another incentivizes data centers to use “onsite clean energy resources,” Smart Cities Dive reports.
Read the full story: Cities get more say in data center development under new California laws
Data centers are consuming nearly 25% of Oregon’s power
The state has 111 data centers, with 32 more either planned or under construction.
Data centers are booming near the West's fastest-shrinking lakes
Years of drought, water diversion and climate change have caused Western lakes to shrink dramatically.
Trump is considering data centers on 6 states' public land — some state officials say they had no idea
If the administration approves the proposed projects, data center and data center-related developments will cover 17,600 acres of public land.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
SEPTA to bring nearby frequent transit to over 1 million new riders as part of decade-long plan
The agency's Accelerate plan will also bring frequent transit to twice the amount of jobs that are currently located near it.
NYC plants over 18,000 trees, the most new foliage in a decade
Many of the trees were planted in communities vulnerable to extreme heat.
New bill requires California data center developers to create water scarcity plans
Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed 7 bills intended to give California communities more information about the impact of proposed data centers.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello