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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Stop Bad Data Centers
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260204T120000
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SUMMARY:Working Session on Gateway 2: Power & Utility Connections
DESCRIPTION:Halt the Harm Network participants are  invited to a special working session on Data Center Power & Utility Connections. \n\n\n\nThis is a key point where a big data center project figures out how it gets electricity. Data centers need huge amounts of power\, and utilities must approve new power lines or upgrades. These decisions can raise electricity bills for everyone and are often hidden in unfair deals. Community pressure and expert review can expose these hidden costs. \n\n\n\nRead more about Data Center Power & Utility Connections.\nData centers need massive amounts of electricity very often enough to power a small city. Before they can build\, developers must secure formal agreements with utility companies and typically need billions in grid upgrades: new substations\, transmission lines\, and power generation. These applications go through Public Utility Commissions (PUCs)\, which hold public hearings and allow community intervention. \n\n\n\nThis is where communities can fight back through formal channels. PUCs must evaluate who pays for grid upgrades and how the data center affects everyone’s electricity bills and grid reliability. Communities have successfully stopped or delayed projects by filing PUC interventions\, hiring independent engineers to challenge flawed studies\, and exposing attempts to shift infrastructure costs onto regular ratepayers. \n\n\n\nThe power gateway creates real leverage. Developers need fast approvals and interconnection queues in some regions have multiple year backlogs. Public opposition\, technical challenges to weak engineering studies\, and coalitions with consumer advocates and local businesses can force regulators to take a harder look at these projects. \n\n\n\n\n\nAbout these Working Sessions \n\n\n\nThese sessions are part of a network project addressing the harms of bad data centers.   \n\n\n\nThe format is a facilitated Zoom call to share on-the-ground experience\, tools\, resources\, and information. The outcome is a collection of refined tools and knowledge the whole network can use. As a participant you can access the shared document for notes and resources.
URL:https://datacenters.halttheharm.net/event/gateway-2-working-session-power-utility-connections/
CATEGORIES:Deep Dives
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260217T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260217T150000
DTSTAMP:20260515T142715
CREATED:20260213T195853Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260305T030623Z
UID:10000011-1771336800-1771340400@datacenters.halttheharm.net
SUMMARY:Q&A on Data Center Legislation with Tim Bernard
DESCRIPTION:Join us for an introduction to the new HHN Data Center Policy Tracker\, a comprehensive legislative tracking database covering data center bills across the United States. \n\n\n\nYou’ll meet Tim Bernard\, the policy expert leading this initiative\, will explain his methodology for tracking and categorizing legislation\, demonstrate early examples of the tracker\, and discuss how this tool will empower community advocates to stay informed and take action on data center policy. \n\n\n\nThe session will also feature discussion about the challenges of tracking legislation across different state systems\, set realistic expectations about update frequency and limitations\, and gather community feedback to help shape the final product before the official launch on February 20th. \n\n\n\nThis is a pre-launch event to give you a chance to bring questions\, suggestions\, and meet others working on the issues. \n\n\n\n\n\nAbout Tim Bernard\n\n\n\nTim Bernard is an independent tech policy analyst. He has consulted broadly\, written extensively for Tech Policy Press\, with articles cited in The Atlantic\, Bloomberg’s Tech Daily and a Supreme Court amicus brief\, and also published a white paper for Stanford University’s Program on Platform regulation. Tim has particular expertise with reviewing legislation related to online safety and data centers. He lives in New York City\, where he studied at Cornell Tech and is currently adjunct teaching at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA).
URL:https://datacenters.halttheharm.net/event/qa-on-data-center-legislation-with-tim-bernard/
CATEGORIES:Interviews
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260218T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260218T130000
DTSTAMP:20260515T142715
CREATED:20251222T221019Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260305T030623Z
UID:10000004-1771416000-1771419600@datacenters.halttheharm.net
SUMMARY:Working Session on Gateway 3: Water Rights & Environmental Permits
DESCRIPTION:Halt the Harm Network participants are invited to a special working session on using Water Rights & Environmental Permits to stop bad data centers. \n\n\n\nData centers generate massive heat and need millions of gallons of water annually for cooling. Training AI models can consume hundreds of thousands of liters of water\, and even everyday AI queries add up. These facilities also need permits for air emissions (from backup diesel generators)\, stormwater management\, and impacts on wetlands. Some federal and state environmental laws require review processes that developers can’t skip. \n\n\n\nRead more about Water Rights & Environmental Permits\nThis gateway matters because developers want quick approvals with minimal conditions and limited public disclosure. Communities can file detailed scoping comments demanding thorough review\, present expert testimony from hydrologists and scientists\, challenge chemical risks from cooling systems\, and organize environmental justice coalitions to document cumulative impacts. When EPA regional offices\, state environmental agencies\, and water authorities see organized community opposition backed by scientific evidence\, they’re normally forced to take a harder look. \n\n\n\n\n\nAbout these Working Sessions \n\n\n\nThese sessions are part of a network project addressing the harms of bad data centers.   \n\n\n\nThe format is a facilitated Zoom call to share on-the-ground experience\, tools\, resources\, and information. The outcome is a collection of refined tools and knowledge the whole network can use. As a participant you can access the shared document for notes and resources.
URL:https://datacenters.halttheharm.net/event/gateway-3-working-session-water-rights-environmental-permits/
CATEGORIES:Deep Dives
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260226T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260226T150000
DTSTAMP:20260515T142715
CREATED:20260216T201140Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260305T030623Z
UID:10000012-1772114400-1772118000@datacenters.halttheharm.net
SUMMARY:The State of AI Data Center Policy in the United States w/ Tim Bernard
DESCRIPTION:Join Halt the Harm Network for the official launch of the HHN Data Center Policy Tracker\, a comprehensive legislative tracking tool covering data center bills across the United States. \n\n\n\nIn this session\, you will meet Tim Bernard\, the independent policy analyst leading this initiative. Tim will walk through the current state of data center policy in the U.S.\, present the methodology behind tracking and categorizing legislation\, and demonstrate how to use the Policy Tracker on our website to find bills that impact your community\, identify concerns\, and take informed action. \n\n\n\nWhat to expect\n\n\n\n\nAn overview of the national legislative landscape on data centers\n\n\n\nA live walk-through of the Policy Tracker and how to use it\n\n\n\nTime for questions and conversation\n\n\n\n\nAbout Tim Bernard\n\n\n\nTim Bernard is an independent tech policy analyst. He has consulted broadly and written extensively for Tech Policy Press\, with articles cited in The Atlantic\, Bloomberg’s Tech Daily and a Supreme Court amicus brief. Tim also published a white paper for Stanford University’s Program on Platform Regulation. He has particular expertise with reviewing legislation related to online safety and data centers. Tim lives in New York City\, where he studied at Cornell Tech and is currently adjunct teaching at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). \n\n\n\nThis event is free and open to anyone working to understand and respond to the rapid expansion of data centers in their communities. Whether you are new to this issue or have been tracking it closely\, you will leave with a practical tool and the connections to put it to use.
URL:https://datacenters.halttheharm.net/event/the-state-of-ai-data-center-policy-in-the-united-states-w-tim-bernard/
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