Numerous news stories available online — possibly written by real people, but some no doubt written by AI — are referring to the move by tech companies to build out new data centers in Rural America.
Most new data centers in the U.S. are coming to rural areas
AI is driving a data center boom in rural America. Locals are divided on the benefits.
Will data centers show up in Colorado’s rural areas?
Data centers in rural America: Nicol Turner Lee on the global race for AI
Apparently, data center developers find rural locations attractive for a few reasons. Availability of large parcels, which may include land for dedicated substations, solar farms and windmills. Access to water for cooling. Lower property taxes. Lower construction costs.
Naïve government leaders and planning staff? A lack of sophistication in rural communities can be a benefit for developers.
Recent conversations at Archuleta Board of County Commissioners meetings and at Pagosa Springs Town Council meetings suggest a generally negative view of data centers at this point. The BOCC has put a moratorium in place, as of June 16. The Town Council — while not exactly voting on a moratorium on July 21 — directed staff to develop Land Use and Development Code (LUDC) language to define data centers, and also to bring back for approval a possible moratorium.
Moratoriums are temporary bans to allow governments to research the issue at hand. Typically, a moratorium cannot last more than one year. The County moratorium will expire in December, but could be extended at that point.
But I’d like to address some comments made by newly-appointed Town Council member Vahid Shabro on July 21, during the Council’s discussion about data centers.
From the Town website:
The Town of Pagosa Springs is pleased to welcome Vahid Shabro to the Pagosa Springs Town Council.
Vahid is an energy and climate professional with a background in science, engineering, software, and artificial intelligence. Throughout his career, he has focused on using data, modeling, and technology to support informed decision-making and help organizations navigate complex challenges. He currently develops technology that assesses climate and financial risk.
While the majority of the Council sounded more than ready to ban data centers entirely, and immediately, Mr. Shabro cautioned his fellow Council members from moving too quickly with a ban.
“I think this is a matter of national security for the state, and counties and cities. Banning such technologies would have negative implications for long term national security of the country. Given that these technologies are not compatible with our community, but also, our community is not compatible with these technologies, for the requirements of the space and reliable energy. And cheap energy.
“But by passing a ban, we will be giving credence to other bans that are happening across the country, in places where these technologies can expand and help the country become ready for the future…”
If we listen closely, we will note that Mr. Shabro is here addressing “technologies” in general, not just data centers, and also addressing the national opposition to data centers, not merely the opposition in Pagosa Springs.
And speaking of national opposition… here’s a 3-minute YouTube video on the topic of rural data centers.
The presenter in this video is Robert Reich, author, lawyer, and political commentator, and former Secretary of Labor under President Clinton. His closing message:
“It’s not just about the technology itself. It’s about Big Tech and AI CEOs trying to impose their will on us. They want to be the ones who decide the future, and expand their wealth. But the American people demand a say. This is what democracy is all about.
“Until there are reasonable regulations on AI that protect us, we need a national moratorium…”
As I watched the video, I naturally assumed that the content was being delivered to me via a data center somewhere.
The messages around data centers — pro and con — I find fascinating.
On the one hand, we have (unsupported?) assertions, such as the one made by new Town Council member Vahid Shabro on July 21, that the rapid and unchecked development of data centers and AI, and any future technologies, is crucial to “national security”.
But “national security” is not typically defined, when these claims are made.
As mentioned previously in this editorial series, reports indicate that the U.S. has somewhere in the neighborhood of 3,000 to 5,500 data centers, with more in the planning stages.
Meanwhile, other nations often portrayed as “threats” to our “national security” — such as China, Iran, and North Korea — have built only a tiny fraction of that number. Some estimates I found online:
China… 450
Iran… 2
North Korea… 1
As we all know, technologies can be used for good or evil. A hammer can be a tool, but it can also be a used as a weapon.
We hear claims that cyber-criminals will be able to use AI (and thus data centers) to perpetrate clever crimes on the American people, and on American businesses and governments.
Looked at from that perspective, the construction of thousands of data centers and AI applications simply making life easier for the world’s cyber-criminals.
So, what kind of “national security” are we really talking about?
Security for the Big Tech companies that might profit from data centers and AI in the future?
Security for America’s military-industrial-financial complex?
Security for the world’s cyber-criminals?
On the ‘con’ side of the discussion, we also hear about electric rates increasing in communities where new data centers are draining the grid. We hear about potential water shortages, as new data centers suck up millions of gallons of water daily for cooling purposes.
It appears that our local government regulators, here in Pagosa Springs and Archuleta County, are closely considering these arguments, and putting moratoriums in place.
Not a moment too soon?