Massachusetts ballot initiative to restrict data center proposals organizes for 2028 election

BOSTON — Massachusetts voters may see a question on restricting proposals to build data centers in the state in the 2028 election cycle as a new ballot initiative gets underway. The ballot initiative campaign was announced Thursday by a new Committee to Restrict Data Centers, beginning outreach to voters on a law that would require “proposed data center to provide plans for water usage, create power usage that will not increase local electric rates, and attain a 2/3 vote from the residents of the host community.” kAm“%96C6’D 2 =@E @7 A6@A=6 4@?46C?65 23@FE E9:D[ 2?5 E96J >2J @C >2J ?@E 36 7@C 282:?DE 52E2 46?E6CD 4@>A=6E6=J[ 3FE E96J 46CE2:?=J H2?E E@ AC@E64E E96 4@>>F?:EJ[” D2:5 r@>>:EE66 E@ #6DEC:4E s2E2 r6?E6CD r92:C y:> u=6>:?8]k^Am kAm%96 :?:E:2E:G6 42>A2:8? 4@>6D 2D 52E2 46?E6C :DDF6D 92G6 7=2C65 :? 4@>>F?:E:6D 24C@DD E96 DE2E6[ :?4=F5:?8 C646?E $FEE@? AFD9324< E@ 2 zC27E vC@FA AC@A@D2= E@ 3F:=5 E96 7@FCE9 =2C86DE 52E2 46?E6C :? E96 &]$] :? E96 D>2== E@H?] |62?H9:=6[ E@H?D =:<6 |2?D7:6=5 2?5 w@=J@<6 92G6 AFE 7@CE9 32?D @C DH66A:?8 C6DEC:4E:@?D @? 52E2 46?E6C 4@?DECF4E:@?D]k^Am kAm%96 4@>>:EE66 492:C D2:5 E92E H9:=6 v@G] |2FC2 w62=6J 92D AFE :?E@ A=246 2? 6I64FE:G6 @C56C @? C68F=2E6 52E2 46?E6C AC@A@D2=D – :?4=F5:?8 C6BF:C6>6?ED 7@C 2 A=2? 7@C 2:C BF2=:EJ 2?5 AF3=:4 962=E9[ H2E6C FD6 2?5 4@>>F?:EJ 6?8286>6?E 2?5 2 “4@>>F?:EJ 36?67:ED 28C66>6?E” – E96 42>A2:8? :D =@@<:?8 7@C 2 A6C>2?6?E DE2E6 =2H @? E96 :DDF6]k^Am kAm“tI64FE:G6 @C56CD 2C6 8@@5 7@C E96 D9@CE E6C>[ 3FE H6’C6 =@@<:?8 7@C 2 =@?86C\E6C> D@=FE:@?[” D2:5 u=6>:?8] “$@[ H6 H2?E E@ 4C62E6 2 =2H]”k^Am kAm$@>6 A2CED @7 E96 32==@E :?:E:2E:G6 >:CC@C AC@A@D2=D :? q624@? w:==[ u=6>:?8 D2:5[ E9@F89 E96 EH@\E9:C5D 4@>>F?:EJ G@E6 C6BF:C6>6?E :D 2 “3:E >@C6 C6DEC:4E:G6[” 2:>:?8 E@ 92G6 56G6=@A6CD >2<6 2 “4@>A6==:?8 42D6” E@ =@42= >F?:4:A2=:E:6D]k^Am kAm%96 42>A2:8? D:E6 2=D@ DE2E6D E96 =2H 2:>D E@ 6?DFC6 ?@ :?4C62D65 6=64EC:4:EJ 4@DED[ 7F==J 8C66? 6?6C8J 8F2C2?E66D 2?5 ?@ ?682E:G6 :>A24E @? =@42= H2E6C DFAA=:6D “6G6? :? 2 5C@F89E” 7C@> 2?J AC@A@D65 52E2 46?E6CD]k^Am kAm“r@?46C?D @G6C E96 4@DE @7 6=64EC:4:EJ[ 6?G:C@?>6?E2= F?46CE2:?EJ[ H2E6C FD286 2?5 EFC3:?6D E92E CF? ac 9@FCD 2 52J[ E92E D@F?5 =:<6 ;6E 6?8:?6D 2C6 ;FDE D@>6 @7 E96 4@>A=2:?ED C6D:56?ED x 92G6 962C5 7C@> 2== @G6C E96 DE2E6[” D2:5 DE2E6 $6?] y@9? '6=:D[ s\(6DE7:6=5]k^Am kAm%96 C646?E 6=64E:@?D D2H 2 H2G6 @7 52E2 46?E6C 32==@E >62DFC6D 2=>@DE F?:7@C>=J A2DD :? =@42= >F?:4:A2=:E:6D[ :?4=F5:?8 :? ?62C3J }6H w2>AD9:C6 2?5 |2:?6]k^Am kAm%96 |2DD249FD6EED 42>A2:8? :D 2:>:?8 E@ 4@==64E g_[___ D:8?2EFC6D E@ 86E E96 52E2 46?E6CD BF6DE:@? @? E96 a_ag 32==@E[ FD:?8 E96 42>A2:8? H63D:E6 k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^D:8?cC6DEC:4E:?852E246?E6CD]@C8QmD:8?cC6DEC:4E:?852E246?E6CD]@C8k^2m E@ 92G6 DFAA@CE6CD DF3>:E D:8?2EFC6D 3J >2:=] u=6>:?8 D2:5 E96 42>A2:8? H:== DE2CE 4@==64E:?8 D:8?2EFC6D ?6IE 72== 2?5 FD6 E96 ?6IE D6G6C2= >@?E9D E@ 5@ 4C@H5D@FC4:?8 @FEC6249]k^Am kAmx7 E96 {68:D=2EFC6 A2DD6D 2 52E2 46?E6C =2H :? E96 >62?E:>6[ u=6>:?8 D2:5[ E96 42>A2:8? H@F=5 5C@A E96 :?:E:2E:G6]k^Am kAm“xE’D ?@E 2 G2?:EJ AC@;64E[ :E’D 2 86E D@>6E9:?8 5@?6 AC@;64E[” u=6>:?8 D2:5] … “qFE H6 H2?E D@>6E9:?8 E@ 92AA6?[ 2?5 H6 H2?E :E E@ 36 4@?4C6E6 2?5 =2H]”k^Am kAm\\\\\\\\\\\k^Am