Synopsis
A fifty-year decision deserves more than a ninety-day presentation.
Data centers promise jobs, investment, tax revenue, and technological growth. But they also create long-term obligations involving water, power, infrastructure, environmental stewardship, public finance, and community trust. Once approved, many of those decisions cannot easily be reversed.
Dealing with Data Centers: Due Diligence for Our Grandchildren provides a practical risk management framework to help local governments, public officials, nonprofit leaders, and citizens evaluate proposed data center developments before commitments are made.
Rather than arguing for or against data centers, this book focuses on asking the right questions, verifying the facts, and understanding the long-term consequences of today's decisions.
Inside you'll discover:
A practical due diligence framework for evaluating data center proposals.
Risk management tools used by experienced insurance and municipal professionals.
Public records research techniques and transparency checklists.
Real-world case studies from communities across the United States.
Guidance on water resources, electrical infrastructure, environmental impacts, taxation, emergency services, and long-term financial obligations.
Sample policy language, governance tools, and fiduciary checklists that local officials can adapt to their own communities.
Strategies for balancing economic development with responsible stewardship of public resources.
Written in clear, accessible language, this book translates complex technical and financial issues into practical guidance that elected officials, county staff, nonprofit organizations, farmers, ranchers, business owners, and residents can understand and apply.
Whether your community ultimately approves or declines a proposed project, the goal is the same: ensure every decision is informed, transparent, and made in the best interests of both current residents and future generations.