Session Lead: Kevin Sellner (Hood College Center for Coastal And Watershed Studies)
Co-Lead(s): Charles Bott
Session Format: Oral presentations
Session Description:
The huge proliferation of data centers in the CB watershed raises many concerns on water and air quality and options to address these expanding environmental and human health threats. Water demand (is there sufficient source water for ALL users with the >700 data center demand), discharged water quality (center additives, purposely added or resulting from operations), emissions (from diesel-powered generators at each center building), noise threats to children, extreme stormwater runoff (erosion, damage to buffers, floodplains, neighboring properties and wells, including loss of recharge areas), hazard spills and groundwater and soil contamination, terrestrial degradation/fragmentation from transmission line construction/operation, and habitat and biota losses are some of the threats specific to the watershed’s current and future conditions. Other areas, such as loss of property values, e-waste, inadequate regional power supplies are also well-documented. Regional experts will address documented impacts and solutions to protect the bay, watershed, and residents.