Hi John,
You’ve certainly seen data centers all over the news lately with new ones and new proposals popping up constantly across the state. These data centers need massive amounts of energy to operate and water to cool their systems – resources they expect Wisconsin to provide.
But here’s the wild part. The only legislation the state has passed on data centers so far? TAX BREAKS with NO REQUIREMENTS attached. That is, frankly, bananas.
>>> Please contact your state legislators and ask them to support the Data Center Accountability Bill!
We have some great news, though! Today, Sen. Jodi Habush Sinykin and Rep. Angela Stroud introduced the Data Center Accountability Bill (LRB 5432) – the first measure to hold tech and utility companies accountable when building, powering, and operating data centers. It ensures communities and ratepayers aren’t left bearing the financial and environmental costs.
We're launching a statewide campaign to ensure lawmakers put Wisconsin communities ahead of corporate greed. The campaign will mobilize voters across the state to contact their legislators and demand accountability, transparency, and environmental responsibility from the data center industry.
If data centers are coming to Wisconsin, they should cover their added energy costs, rely on renewable power as much as possible, and be transparent about their water and energy use.
We’re especially proud this legislation is being led by two of our endorsed lawmakers. Their leadership is exactly why we work to elect conservation champions like them to office – to protect people, our environment, and bring our shared values to the Capitol.
The Data Center Accountability Bill (LRB 5432) would:
-
Require data centers to contribute to Wisconsin’s Focus on Energy Fund, which supports energy efficiency, renewable energy, and low-income energy assistance. And, half of the contributions would go to the Green Innovation Fund, which supports next-generation environmental and clean energy technologies and projects in Wisconsin.
-
Require data centers to source at least 70 percent of their annual electricity from renewable sources to qualify for state tax exemptions.
- Mandate that utilities provide transparency on water and energy use.
This also protects workers by requiring those who build data centers be paid the prevailing wage or, if covered by a collective bargaining agreement, the higher of the two.
It is crucial that our state legislature adopt these standards for data centers.
>>> Please contact your state legislators and ask them to support the Data Center Accountability Bill!
