Ahead of two votes next week on proposed massive data centers in Green Country, a community meeting discussed how to stop the centers from being built.
The event at Tulsa’s Central Library focused on Project Anthem, a 340-acre data center slated for east Tulsa and Project Clydesdale, a 500-acre data center south of Owasso in Tulsa County.
Data centers have had their fair share of concerns nationally with a recent University of Michigan public policy study finding that the centers increase utility rates, consume water and electricity at an inordinate pace and rely on tax breaks that do not deliver on economic promises.
Data Analyst and self-described “tech bro” Brancen Gregory attended the meeting, and he says even with some emerging technologies improving efficiency, the data center industry overstates its position.
“They're still massively detrimental to water supply in ways that other industries can't even imagine,” Gregory said.
Tulsa World previously reported that, at peak usage, both data centers combined could use about 9 million gallons of water per day. This is the same amount used daily by roughly 100,000 households.
Currently commercial water use permits require the permit holder to self-report their water usage, with minimal oversight.
A 2023 study predicts a river flow decline across the Arkansas River basin. This decline ranges from 12% to 27%.
State Rep. Amanda Clinton came to the meeting and said she had “major questions” about the projects. She continued by saying that the data center projects cannot “compromise the health and safety of Oklahomans.”
During the meeting the centers use of rural and Indigenous land was described as "techno colonialism" defined as “theft of Indigenous lands and waters by companies and militaries to create data centers for artificial intelligence and crypto currency. It’s the extraction and exploitation of more resources for tech profit.”
Event organizer Chey Gardner wants to protect Green Country from data centers.
“These extractive industries see these poor communities as a target, and it's an easy target, because people just don't know what is going to happen.” Gardner said after the meeting. “I fully intend on pursuing this fight long term.”
Project Clydesdale is expected to have a final approval vote at Monday's Tulsa county commissioners meeting and Project Anthem will have a zoning vote at Wednesday's Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission meeting.
