to the editor: The enormous energy and water needs of hyperscale data centers clearly have a climate dimension that Governor Gavin Newsom should consider (“Newsom's stance on controversial data centers is about to be tested. Once again,” June 21). At a time when the world urgently needs to transition to renewable energy, adding huge energy guzzlers to the grid can cripple our climate progress. Regulations are certainly needed to mitigate the community impacts of data centers, but proposed requirements to simply disclose resource consumption do not go far enough.
It seems entirely reasonable to require these giant energy consumers to provide their own energy, and it should be renewable energy so they don't exacerbate the climate crisis.
Kent Strumpell, Los Angeles
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to the editor: Congratulations to Monterey Park for banning data centers through a public vote.
Political science professor Dan Schnur says, “The tech community is a critical part of Newsom's donor base, so he needs to keep fundraising in mind when he makes these decisions.” In other words, money talks and what people want and need are secondary. Is this democracy?
Vicki Rupasinghe, Ojai
