Denver residents push for data center regulations ahead of temporary moratorium city council vote

As artificial intelligence continues to grow, so does the need for massive data centers like CoreSite, already being built in Denver's Swansea-Elyria neighborhood. Data centers are used to power it.

However, ahead of Monday's vote, where Denver leaders will consider a temporary moratorium on new data centers, residents in surrounding neighborhoods say they want their concerns heard.

For Robert Sanborn, construction is already part of daily life.

"There's a lot of dust. It makes it harder for me to breathe; just a whole lot of construction," said Sanborn.

Sanborn has lived near ongoing construction for the last two years while also battling three lung diseases. He worries the nearby CoreSite facility could make conditions worse.

"I know there's a lot of diesel generators, and I'm worried about the pollution, obviously, with my breathing," said Sanborn.

Data centers are large facilities filled with servers used to power artificial intelligence systems, cloud storage and online services. But they also require massive amounts of electricity and backup power systems to operate, according to Alfonso Espino with the Globeville Elyria-Swansea Coalition.

"These data centers are using these massive diesel generators. We need to make sure there are strong regulations when it comes to water, discuss the grid. The risks of blackouts and consequences of that are massive," said Espino.

Those are some of the concerns Espino plans to raise during Denver's public hearing Monday evening. He says the coalition is pushing for stronger regulations to protect residents living near the proposed developments.

"These are the type of policies that we are promoting that protect people like this," Espino said.

Meanwhile, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said in a statement:

"Data centers are important to our economy, but there must also be clear regulations in place to ensure neighborhoods aren't disproportionately impacted and that we're protecting our air and water."

The proposed moratorium could last up to one year, though city leaders say it could end sooner if regulations are put in place, something Espino says the coalition will continue advocating for.

"We're not being hyperbolic when we say this needs to center around people's health. The pollution is insane," Espino said.

The Data Center Coalition, part of the GES Coalition, plans to hold a press conference at 3 p.m. on Monday, May 18, ahead of the City Council vote and public hearing to discuss what members hope the moratorium will accomplish.