As fights about data centers erupt nationwide, California lawmakers have approved a pair of bills to make data center developers disclose how much water they really use.
The bills are a new test of whether California will set limits on an industry that's becoming a flashpoint over water, electricity and the environmental consequences of artificial intelligence.
CalMatters reported lawmakers yesterday cleared Assembly Bill 2469 by Assemblymember Diane Papan, a Democrat from San Mateo. The bill bars local governments from approving new or expanded data centers unless the developer discloses its water plans and covers the full cost of any new water pipes, treatment or storage for the facility.
This bill will now join Papan's Assembly Bill 2619 on Governor Gavin Newsom's desk.
California senators last week, in a decisive 30 to 9 vote, approved the measure requiring data center operators to report their estimated or actual water sources and use - under penalty of perjury - when seeking and renewing a business license or permit.
It's almost identical to a bill Papan authored last year, which Newsom vetoed amid pressure from the tech industry.
Newsom said at the time he was "reluctant to impose rigid reporting requirements, without understanding the full impact on businesses and the consumers of their technology."
A Public Policy Institute of California survey found that a majority of residents oppose construction of data centers in their areas, and are concerned about the environmental impacts.
