As data center development accelerates across the United States, Climate Mayors, in partnership with the Model Climate Laws Initiative, the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School, and Climate XChange, today released a new Model Local Law: A Framework for Responsible Data Center Development designed to help mayors and local leaders understand the tools available to guide data center development in their communities. The model law focuses on four areas: siting and permitting, operational standards, transparency, and community benefits. 

The growth of cloud computing and artificial intelligence is driving unprecedented demand for data centers, bringing significant capital investment and potential tax revenue to communities. At the same time, these facilities are placing substantial demands on local electricity systems, water resources, land, and surrounding neighborhoods. For mayors, the challenge isn’t simply whether data centers come to their communities, but how communities can plan for growth and make informed decisions about where and how to build and operate these facilities.

“Mayors are on the front lines of the data center boom, balancing the potential economic benefits of new investment with very real questions about energy, water, land use, and quality of life for people,” said Kate Wright, Climate Mayors Executive Director. “Following the success of our Data Centers and the Climate Landscape guide, this model law framework gives local leaders another resource to ensure a responsible, community-aligned approach to data center development.”

The model law provides a menu of legal and regulatory approaches that local governments can consider as they address data center development. It is designed for communities at different stages of the process—from cities anticipating new facilities to those already engaging with developers or seeking to understand developments in neighboring jurisdictions.

The model law has four areas:

• Siting and permitting: Establishes potential requirements for where data centers can be located and how projects move through local approval processes, including public notification, hearings, and assessments of water, energy, noise, and utility capacity.
• Operational standards: Provides potential standards for renewable energy and storage, potable water use, groundwater, noise, landscaping and setbacks, building design, materials, and backup generators.
• Transparency: Establishes disclosure and public-access provisions related to water, stormwater, trees, noise, energy use, power purchase agreements, and grid impacts.
• Community benefits: Provides a framework for community benefits agreements addressing measurable local benefits, workforce and community investment, environmental mitigation, decommissioning, and enforcement.

The model law release comes as cities across the country are confronting the local implications of an expanding data center industry, including impacts on electricity demand, water consumption, land use, infrastructure, and surrounding communities. Jurisdictions can use the resource to inform adoption of a standalone law, provisions into an existing code, or use individual components alongside other approaches to data center development, including moratoria and negotiated development agreements. This resource is designed strictly for informational and educational use; it does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of any specific policy option. 

About Climate Mayors

Climate Mayors is a bipartisan network of mayors representing over 350 member cities, towns, and counties across the United States. Founded in 2014, the network spans 47 states and the District of Columbia, functioning as a peer-to-peer coalition that helps members share climate strategies that work and build support for state and federal action.

About the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law

The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School develops legal techniques to address climate change and trains the next generation of climate lawyers. The Center works to translate climate science into effective legal tools and to advance solutions at the federal, state, and local levels.

About the Model Climate Laws Initiative

The Model Climate Laws Initiative is a project of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University and Environmental Advocates NY that develops model legislation and legal resources to help policymakers address climate change and advance effective climate policy.

About Climate XChange

Climate XChange is a nonprofit organization working to advance innovative climate policy and build public understanding of the economic opportunities created by the transition to a clean energy economy.