Could we see ‘big beautiful data centers’ being built in South Dakota sooner than later? It might just be so if President Trump gets his way:
President Trump signed a trio of executive orders related to artificial intelligence (AI) on Wednesday, focusing on boosting data center construction and the adoption of American technology while targeting “woke” AI.
and..
The data center order calls on the Council on Environmental Quality to establish new categorical exclusions for certain data center projects that “normally do not have a significant effect on the human environment.” It also seeks to identify projects that qualify for expedited permitting review.
This could mean great things for the future of data centers and economic development in South Dakota.
That is, unless we find a way to screw it up.
Trump is a RINO. Beholden to corporate welfare scam. #loser.
If Trump, Thune, Rounds, & Dusty are RINOs, just what exactly makes someone a Reupublican?
Last time I checked Real Republicans support economic development and capitalism. The Real RINOs are the people calling everyone else RINO! Losers!
I have a hard time believing Julie A or Taffy H would say something like that.
Yeah people! Don’t be dense! There is absolutely NO DOWN SIDE! 😀
Sincerely,
King Sarcastic
The way things are going in Pierre, the naysayers will blow this idea up before it has any chance in SD. What a golden opportunity for local communities. Bottom line, economic development are the two biggest swear words among the ultra right wingers. Data centers will now be their new carbon pipeline.
To be fair the data center doesn’t add much in the way of good jobs. The amount of people needed to run it are on the low end. At the same time it adds a disproportionate amount of demand to the power system.
I’m not opposed to them, but usually communities want businesses add more jobs or at least the amount of jobs balance out the demand on infrastructure.
What do you consider much? Sure the initial couple hundred jobs that are required to build the places won’t stick around, but the 20 or so jobs that all pay 6 figures for the data center’s life isn’t anything to balk at. That’s a huge boost to a small town like Clear Lake bringing in people like that to the area while supporting our local colleges who will be training them. They will put dollars back into the communities and their kids will be sticking around SD when they leave DSU. The property taxes will help maintain infrastructure and SD has plenty of power, clean power even. There are definitely things these areas need to take into consideration and make sure they are accurately judging both the positive and negative impacts. Overall, we need to embrace these types of things that fit the midwest otherwise we are going to find ourselves in worse shape.
The issue is – of the 20 or so jobs that will run the data-centers most of them will NOT be high end people. These will be the lowest paid/lowest skilled jobs.
Building maintenance, security, and a handful of technicians who can run around and plug/unplug a cable if needed. There might be one or two of the six figure jobs in South Dakota.
The developers, admins, network infrastructure people – they will all be living exactly where they do now because unless you are physically installing new gear, fixing or troubleshooting a physical issue, or the like EVERYTHING ELSE can be done remotely. On the once or twice a year that the high end people need to come in, they’ll fly into Sioux Falls and drive. Be there for three and a half days, and leave.
The financial benefits comes from the increased tax base that will help reduce tax burden on our home owners.
The increased power demand will create many jobs in that industry and will help keep rates in check for customers. Gotta look at the big picture.
Truth
I’m guessing Big Orange Cankles requires that they be coal fired and stream driven?
Wow! You really are stupid.
No, he’ll just run a few hundred miles of electrical transmission line from a big coal fired plant, and write a presidential order to eliminate any impact on the environment and surrounding communities, as well as right of way issues. That kind of thing.
Data Centers, RINOs, the part of this story that ought to give pause is that said action is being undertaken by Presidential fiat; ie. executive order. Just when did the United States become a single branch government? What is the point of John Thune, Mike Rounds, and Dusty Johnson when POTUS can just have a lackey hand him a document pulled off of Google AI, sign it, and bind all of us to it? Who legislates? What became of the laws and the process that created them? We know that EOs don’t have the same long terms staying power of laws, especially when the next POTUS can wipe out an EO the very first day he walks into the Oval Office. Gang, you might tut tut this old Republican for slamming the usage of EOs by Donald Trump, but if we don’t sort this crap out while we are the party in power, it will be way too late to when we aren’t, and the proverbial shoe is on the other political foot.
Communities should still have a say if they want data centers or not, and the companies that want to build them need to be up-front about the impacts, both good & bad. SD has a lot of energy, but add a handful of data centers and that will go away. How much water will they use? And how many permanent jobs will they create? I get that the jobs & taxes are attractive, but communities need hard numbers. And the tax benefits won’t happen if SD gives them a whole bunch of tax incentives & lets the companies off scott-free.
They do. It’s called permits.
Exactly right. Each county has a conditional use permit application these projects must navigate. And in most instances also an ordinance for said project. The proposed data center in McPherson, which is rather small, (50 megawatts) will bring in approximately 60k in property tax yearly. Of course that’s divided up between schools, county ect.. but still better than nothing. The biggest thing the nay sayers omit from their talking points is the generous amounts of money that have been committed to the emergency management services for the county on a yearly basis to the tune of 150k. That’s huge! Not to mention another 25k yearly for community needs.
That the tax on 6 houses in Sioux Falls.
That’s literally nothing.
In that sense you may be right. But when a small rural counties budget is only 4.5 million, it is something. And when the EMS budget is less than half a million. It is definitely something.
There are more people in a 10 block radius in Sioux Falls than there are in all of McPherson Co. You’re comparing apples to oranges.
Water is minimal. They use glycol.
Did a Doedite or Hansen/ Lemming or both claim these data centers were also Satan powered? Would they feel the same way about Doeden’s kid Bitcoin mine in Aberdeen?