How to see Denver's moratorium
DENVER'S ANNOUNCEMENT ON MONDAY was the most salient evidence yet that data centers have become a big and volatile issue in Colorado.
Larimer County recently imposed a moratorium on new data centers, and Logan County last week lifted its moratorium after adopting regulations governing not only data centers but battery storage and large-scale solar. County officials there expect to get a proposal for a data center that could have value of $15 billion in an area now used primarily to grow winter wheat.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said Denver's proposed "pause allows us to put clear and consistent guardrails in place while protecting our most precious resources and preserving our quality of life." If adopted by the council, said the announcement, the ordinance will give the city time to review additional data-center specific regulations around responsible land, energy, and water use as well as zoning and affordability for taxpayers.
Why Denver's introspection now? We have to think it was triggered by the CoreSite's DE Data Center now being built at 47th and Race, in Denver's Swansea neighborhood. When complete, the complex is to have 590,000 square feet. Colorado Public Radio first drew attention to the project in mid-October, when the building consisted of three high-ceiling floors of steel. It is now enclosed.
Most jarring in this Elyria-Swansea neighborhood is the juxtaposition of this new industrial use cheek and jowl with high-density residential housing, including a health center. The neighborhood of lower-valued housing and a high proportion of Latino residents lies amid many other industrial applications: a dog and cat food factory, salvage yards and, about a mile away, along Sand Creek, the Suncor refinery. Maybe most industrial of all is I-70 with the emissions and noise of cars and trucks day and night.
In question is what exactly do the city's espoused goals mean when it comes to issues of social justice. Its a question for Colorado altogether.
Denver has, at least in part, a land-use issue. What uses are compatible and where, and what are not?
If the setting is very, very, very different, the same question is asked in Logan County, in a place of few paved roads where a portion of Colorado now devoted to farming and livestock grazing will be radically transformed. This has social justice issues, too.
Already on our calendar prior to Denver's announcement was a meeting this evening on the edge of the Swansea neighborhood at Geotech Environmental at 2560 E. 40th Ave. It will be devoted to the data center issue, and we expect the meeting to last long into the evening.
One of the key questions remains that of transparency. In all fairness, do we need to know more about what is planned and where and, of course, the water and energy needs? And do the utilities fully understand what is coming? Do we?
A couple years ago, when I checked with Denver Water, they said they didn't expect to see much in the way of data centers.They were projected to be out on the metropolitan fringe. Still true?
The photo above we took last week from the area in question. The tan building in the back is the data center.
In case you missed these recent stories:
Data centers in Colorado, yes, but on what terms?" Feb. 18. A good overview of the coming debate at the Colorado General Assembly.
Gearing up for data centers Feb. 3. An update on moratoriums
Difficult decisions on Colorado's eastern plains. Jan. 26. A report from Logan County's discussions.
Growing microprocessors instead of wheat. Dec. 16. Putting Logan County into a broader context.
|
