Data centers, by nature, present an intense and unique form of land use and development, posing significant challenges related to electricity consumption, noise, air quality, water use, community character and long-term planning objectives. Large scale data centers can use as much as 3 to 5 million gallons of water in a single day between liquid cooling and water consumed to generate the energy that powers them. This extreme volume of water usage impacts homes and businesses both within the municipality and the surrounding communities. Some data centers require 300 MW of electricity, which is roughly equivalent to the output of a small modular nuclear reactor. Across the state, utility prices are skyrocketing, and  yes that is in part to the proliferation of data centers. One data center can use up to the same amount of electricity as 80,000 households - more than 4 times the homes in our town. 

As residents wrestle with affordability, as our climate emergency worsens, as quality of life continues to dwindle for many, West Orange MUST amend our municipal code  Chapter 25 Land Use Regulations, both sections 25-4-b and 25-24.5, by defining data centers and their tangential subsidiaries, and adding them to the prohibited use section! 

While there are no current data centers proposed to be heard for consideration in West Orange, as other municipalities proactively ban and prohibit them, we must be proactive and not wait until one is at our doorstep.