Reader advises not opening the door to big data centers

Dear Editor:

 At the recent P&Z public hearing on the proposed ordinance to regulate data centers in the county, there was nearly unanimous opposition to data centers in general. Many who testified shared personal and researched evidence about known and yet unknown risks. P&Z officials and a few testifying suggested that private property rights and the inevitability that data centers have already found their way into our county were reasons to adopt an ordinance permitting them through conditional use. A former county commissioner stated if regulations were too onerous, they could be legally challenged.   

 Much as I appreciate the well intentioned and timely response by county officials to deal with this “opportunity,” adopting any ordinance allowing data centers is opening the gate to a use and potential abuse we clearly don’t want. There are few of us who haven’t violated a speed limit or another innocuous law and that’s without a financial incentive motivating us to cross that red line. Money and power are behind data centers. Do we really think we can control them once we’ve invited them in?  And who would do it and at what cost?

 Back when I was a Washington County Commissioner, the Brown Schools was a major for profit network of therapeutic boarding schools, psychiatric hospitals, and residential treatment centers for youth. They approached our board seeking approval to establish a school a few miles outside of Weiser.

 The potential for professional and support worker employment was seriously considered until a group of local citizens petitioned our board in opposition to opening that door. We listened to our constituents and rejected that opportunity. A few years later, Brown Schools filed bankruptcy. 

 What if a private prison wanted to build a facility in Washington County?  Would we say come on in because we’ll regulate all the known challenges?

 Need I remind anyone what our county has just experienced when one of our ordinances is challenged? Can you imagine the money behind any legal challenge to our ordinance regulating data centers? We don’t have to allow everything. Tell our BOCC to just say no data centers period!    

Tony Edmondson

Weiser, Idaho