Had a note from State Representative Kent Roe of District 4, which may be hosting one of South Dakota’s Data Centers if the project as planned goes through:
I’ve been working with stakeholders since April on this. I believe this is the 35th draft. That’s one per week since session ended. I’ve had input from all corners including:
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- Deuel County Commissioners, Scandinavia Township, Deuel County Zoning
- The administration through GOED, The the Departments of Revenue and Ed
- Energy companies including Basin, East River, Otter Tail, local electric coops
- Industry including Meta, Google, Applied Digital, Net Choice
- Other leaders in the House and Senate.
And a big thanks to Sen Crabtree for his help!
It’s time to join the 40+other states benefiting from data centers. It’s a diversification of our economy. We have the people, we have the energy, and we have the will power. It’s time to join the rest of the US in our pursuit of national security and technological superiority.
This bill will create an enduring tax policy that brings reliability and permanence.
Data Center Operations measure by Rep. Kent Roe by Pat Powers
Should South Dakota provide a tax break on the equipment and software that such operations would bring in in exchange for bringing the operation in, certifying that the electric service provided avoids the shifting of costs to other customers of the electric utility, and that the site can handle the water demands?
Not seeing a lot of downsides for the jobs and other income that would come in with it.
What do you think?
Economic development is great for our people
Have you even been following this stock and its volatility???
Line 7 has an error. And the definition of “data center” is very very broad, as written. Needs to be tightened up.
Has taffy seen this? Tonchi?
The COVID19 Pandemic was nothing but a Scheme led by Politicians led by Congress, State Legislatures, County Commissions, and City Councils to financially scheme money from federal taxes, by entrapping, oops, enslaving Americans to a lifetime of national debt, public taxes, and worse, human trafficking. The best example is how the S.D Legislature voted on what became SDCL 34-22-18.1 which allowed the Governor’s Office to trap citizens to a contact list, giving the State Government the right to prosecute any such name on that list, taking from Americans their “property rights”. It allowed the State Govt to grab nearly $2,500,000,000 billion in federal taxes, using that money to pay contractual obligations, expenses, and to fund the welfare state, while stashing away State Taxes into slush funds, of which one of them became the so-called Prison Construction Fund worth $650,000,000 million dollars. Still do not believe me, you will want to ask Jon Hansen, as to why he switched his vote on H.B 1295 which created SDCL 34-22-18.1. Further said, it led to a “insurrection” led by established members of your U.S Senate (Thune), U.S House (Dusty Johnson), and State Legislatures, and Count Commissions to whom manipulated and stole the 2020 Election by changing the results of several ballots, let alone handing out twice as many Absentee (mail) ballots utilized to cast votes for Biden. Still do not beleive me, Where did the 20,000,000 extra ballots go during the 2024 election? Proof they did NOT exist. Folks, Executive Order #13818 is very scary to several State, County, Local Officials, let alone to many members of the S.D Legislature to whom just ramrodded the Prison Project through. Still do not believe me?
Read this, and wonder why E.O#13818 is going after State, County, Local Officials, Officers, Agents, Employees, Elected Leaders…
“South Dakota’s $650 million prison project is not just about incarceration—it’s about monetization. By expanding correctional facilities under public-private partnerships, lawmakers enable private contractors, bondholders, and affiliated service corporations to rake in massive profits from construction, supply contracts, inmate labor, and long-term housing. These deals are often backed by municipal bonds and secured through CUSIP-linked securities, which are then traded. The more bodies incarcerated, the more revenue is generated. Lawmakers who approve such projects may benefit directly or indirectly through campaign donations, contractor kickbacks, or investment returns. Meanwhile, the public is saddled with debt, and human lives become ledger entries—ensnared in a profit-driven justice system fueled by volume, not virtue.” – Aaron Prince
A Direct Violation of Article 1, Section 10:
NO STATE SHALL, pass any bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts, or grant any title of nobility.
In recent years, the State Lawmakers have granted immunity to the S.D BAR ASSOCIATION made up of Judges, Attorneys, Lawyers, Employees, yet alone pay “Police Departments” to steal your property, thus trafficking your Children through C.P.S
https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQNos4bow4L-bGDYbkTzZnDoBOBe1mPB05QY6ijk4R7uNrKkx5tuCZM5U84tEcrEWAC2SvzsssPmD4T/pub?urp=gmail_link
<– Copy and Paste that Document Link and Share it to ALL YOUR FRIENDS.
Blah blah blah blah. Look and behold the picture of someone who skips their medication.
I bet it’s Mike Z.
You seem to have given this a massive amount of thought.
This is misleading. Input is NOT the same as approval. Visit the area and you’ll quickly see that -with the exception of a few Commissioners- the overwhelming majority does NOT want this Data Center in Deuel County.
Why not? I have yet to hear nothing but positives.
Duel Co I’m sure could use the development and the taxes.
Nothing but positives? Have you seen the studies regarding electric and water usage? Or how few actual jobs are supplied to the area once the center is built? I struggle to believe you’ve actually looked if “nothing but positives” is your refrain.
yet you posted none of the studies. so….yeah.
stpp-data-centers-2025.pdf https://share.google/FSrToYejsUPahSrCm
Studies show without saying what studies is another way of saying you are talking out of your ass.
Talk to your local electrical and water suppliers.
Depending on the size they actually do bring a fair amount of skilled jobs that our rural areas need.
Ask your school district about the extra revenue they will get from the electricity and property tax.
Ask your county commission about the extra property tax.
They don’t smell.They don’t take much area.
These conversations beat any “studies show” argument you can come up with.
They linked one. Calm down.
Seems incorrect information on water and electrical. Water is a closed loop and electrical, well they have to pay for all upgrades for the facility to start. Get your facts correct on each before stating. Call local electrical coop and ask them. Better yet ask Dylan Jordan, he doesn’t know squat!
Water is hybrid closed and open loop, hence the large demands. Why lie?
I’m sure Dakota Rural Access will line up their people that want things to be like they were back when the dinosaurs roamed
I have an upcoming knee surgery. An AI powered robot will complete the surgery under the supervision of the doctor. It is safer, less evasive, and my recovery will be a fraction of what is was 20 years ago. AI is all around us and most is beneficial to our society. So many of our Legislators look to Texas as a model of what South Dakota should be…….Low property taxes…….but a sales tax higher than us, 10 Commandments in the classroom……………..but lawsuit abounding with judges approving injunctions and cost tax payers boat loads of money. But no one wants to talk about Texas and the fact that they lead the nation in Data Centers. It has been an economic boom for them. Roe’s legislation seems sensible and offers protections. I also absolutely hate when you have an individual who has private property and they are not allowed to do what they want on their property because someone doesn’t agree with it. Highly hypocritical. China is developing underwater data centers. They are kicking our ass in the AI arena. I definitely don’t want the Chinese controlling the robot that is cutting into my leg. Some of you can’t see the forest for the trees and you won’t be satisfied unless our grandchildren are speaking Chinese. I have said this before, with some of the current Legislators we have, The Hoover Dam, Mount Rushmore, Coal Fired Power Plants would have never been built if they were in charge.
Don’t worry, the south dakota legislature will kill it.
Good, we DO NOT WANT these data centers here.
Interesting to see that he lists input from Deuel County when the folks there can’t even get the county commission (who also serves as the planning board) to put this on the agenda. Meaning that the commissioners are not soliciting public input, yet they evidently feel like they can give their own input. That’s not transparent at all. Why hasn’t Senator Roe held a public meeting on this topic if he really wants to get stakeholder opinion? Aren’t residents stakeholders too?
I have no dog in this fight other than to listen and learn, but there have been public meetings in Deuel County related to the proposed AI data center, and local residents have participated.
• August 2024 – A public meeting was held in Toronto where the project was discussed and questions were taken.
• Fall 2024 – Another public meeting was promoted on Facebook and open to the public.
• December 2024 – The Deuel County Commission discussed the project at the courthouse.
There may have been more, but these are the one’s I’m aware of.
Of course you’re right – residents are stakeholders. Continued, clearly noticed public meetings — with agendas, presentations, and time for questions — are essential to building trust, regardless of where someone ultimately comes down on the project.
On an issue this significant, openness and clarity aren’t optional; they’re necessary.
The public comment portion of commission meetings is where these things are to be addressed. They should not have agenda items unless there is something actionable. Letting every complaint become an item on the agenda is not how to operate.
This project would be built in my District if approved. I support the project overall. I believe the pros outweigh the cons, and I believe data centers can be a positive economic opportunity for South Dakota. That said, my concern isn’t development; it’s whether the bill, as written, has the accountability and protections needed to sustain public confidence over time.
As drafted, the bill asks communities, ratepayers, and future legislators to accept long-term impacts—especially on electric rates and water resources—without clearly defined standards, enforceable safeguards, or adequate public visibility.
In particular, I am concerned about the following areas:
Electric service
The bill appropriately requires that electric service avoid shifting costs to other customers. However, the agreements and assumptions used to demonstrate this are confidential, and there is no clear requirement that they be grounded in a documented cost-of-service analysis or a process for addressing changes if projections prove inaccurate. Ratepayers will reasonably ask who verifies this and how it is enforced over time.
Water use
The bill requires only that water providers be notified that water use is “compatible,” without defining what that means. It does not assure that aquifers will be protected, existing wells preserved, or drought conditions accounted for. In many communities, water—not land or taxes—is the limiting factor, and this language will feel insufficient.
Transparency
Because eligibility documentation is confidential, legislators and local officials may struggle to explain or defend the bill when constituents ask basic questions about water demand, electric load, and long-term impacts.
Duration
A 50-year exemption extends well beyond the planning horizon of utilities, water systems, and legislatures. Without periodic affirmation or reporting, future policymakers inherit commitments without context or the ability to reassure the public.
These concerns aren’t ideological, and they aren’t coming from opposition to growth. They reflect a desire for full public transparency and accountability so communities can understand—and trust—the long-term impacts. If these issues can be addressed, I believe the bill’s prospects in the political process improve significantly. I have shared these concerns and suggested amendments with Sen. Crabtree to help address them. As the bill stands today, I would not support it.
Fred, have you met Kent Roe? I think he serves your district. Seems like it would be prudent to give him these suggestions directly instead of playing both sides of the fence by saying you support the project but don’t support the bill because you know better.
I heard Ryan Kohl is running in this district.
This bill is a joke. No minimum investment required? Fifty years of corporate welfare? No thanks. If the business model is sound they don’t need anything other than a fair permitting process.