Several Missouri lawmakers say the state’s data boom needs guardrails.
Reps. Colin Wellenkamp, R-St. Charles, and Mike Costlow, R-Dardenne Prairie have introduced bills to do just that.
Wellenkamp, Chairman of the Missouri Future Caucus, said the legislation is called the Grid, Integrity and Water Resource Protection Act.
“It is a mouthful, but it works on doing a lot,” said Wellenkamp. “It’s going to work on keeping our utility rates stable so that our folks throughout Missouri are not subject to price jolts and shocks.”
During the State of the Union speech this week President Trump said Americans won’t face higher electric bills as new data centers pop up across the country.
Rep. Costlow said their Missouri legislation would create a separate rate class for large energy users so everyday Missourians aren’t footing the bill.
“As far as what President Trump said, I think that there will probably be some motion on the national scale on that,” said Costlow. “I’ve heard a little bit from some of our own congressmen that this is a topic of conversation. If they would like to adopt our language, I think that probably would be very wise.”
Rep. Wellenkamp said the plan includes checks on the high water use these facilities can demand.
“If your facility is going to use more than 2 million gallons of fresh water per day, or 80% of the available capacity of that locality, you have to seek a DNR permit to do that.”
The bills are now in the House, awaiting their first hearing.
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