Data Centers 101: What They Don't Tell You

When NorthStar Computing representatives came to their first community meeting, they made data centers sound clean and simple: "It's just servers in a building." What they didn't mention could fill a book.

The Water Issue

Data centers use massive amounts of water for cooling. NorthStar's facility will pull 1.5 million gallons daily from our aquifer—equivalent to a town of 15,000 people. In drought years, that's water that won't be available for our farms, our homes, or Maplewood Creek. They claim they'll use "water-efficient cooling systems," but even the most efficient systems need enormous volumes when you're cooling 300 megawatts of computing power running 24/7.

The Noise

Data centers run diesel backup generators for testing—typically 12-18 hours per month, sometimes more. These aren't quiet Honda generators; they're industrial turbines that can be heard for miles. Residents near existing facilities in other states report sleep disruption and property value drops.

The Jobs Myth

NorthStar promises "up to 50 permanent jobs." What they mean: 15-20 technicians working shifts, maybe some security guards. Meanwhile, the facility will take 150 acres of productive farmland out of agricultural use permanently.

The Tax Deal

Here's the part that should outrage everyone: NorthStar is negotiating a 15-year property tax abatement with the county. They want us to provide the infrastructure, water, and zoning changes while paying almost nothing in taxes.

We're not against economic development. But this isn't development—it's extraction. They want our resources without contributing to our community.