What was said about data centers in Arizona
125 statements from 71 speakers, grouped by who spoke. Each appears as said, with the date and the source. No verdict is attached.
From June 28, 2019 to September 25, 2026. Statements from every state are on Statements.
Data center companies 20
Developers, operators and builders of data centers and the technology companies that fill them, speaking through their staff and spokespeople. Every state.
-
A QTS official said they anticipate only having to flush their closed loop cooling systems roughly once every 40 years
-
Google spokesperson
Google Mesa facility is air cooled and consumes water typical of a standard office building
-
Google committed to replenish 120 percent of freshwater consumed by offices and data centers by 2030
-
Suzie Shin, manager of data center sustainability programs at Google
Google donated $600,000 to Trout Unlimited for water restoration in Apache County
-
Charles Fratantoni, real estate agent
Data centers built near residential areas raise ambient temperatures up to 4 degrees Fahrenheit
-
Asif Kazimm, NTT spokesperson
Each building would have internal closed loop and chiller system on roof with closed loop water cooling system filled up only once
-
Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, xAI, Oracle, Amazon Web Services
Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, xAI, Oracle and Amazon Web Services signed a ratepayer protection pledge committing to ensure data center growth will not drive up consumer energy costs
-
Bill Jabjiniak, EdgeCore senior vice president of national community and government relations, stated SRP sought to expand infrastructure to help meet rising regional energy demand
-
Google said 15% of water consumption was in areas with high water scarcity
-
Microsoft said 42% of its water came from areas with water stress in 2023
-
Google Mesa data center will reach at least 80% carbon free energy by 2026
-
VP Data Centers, Google
Joe Kava, VP Data Centers at Google, said they are proud to put down roots in Arizona with data center and cloud region
-
Google announced a new Phoenix cloud region in addition to the Mesa data center
-
Google will use air cooled technology instead of water cooling in Mesa
-
Google officials
Since 2017, Google has matched energy usage with renewable energy purchases
-
VP of Data Centers, Google
Joe Kava, VP of Data Centers at Google, stated data centers are economic anchors in communities
-
Vice President of Data Centers, Google
Joe Kava, vice president of data centers at Google, announced the Mesa data center project
-
Vice President of Core Operations, Microsoft
Sergio Loureiro, vice president of core operations for Microsoft, said the company has pledged to be water positive by 2030, meaning it plans to replenish more water than it consumes globally
-
Senior Director of Energy and Location Operations, Google
Gary Demasi, senior director of energy and location operations at Google, said the company is working to utilize water more efficiently and exploring ways to incorporate circularity
Government 51
Officials in office, lawmakers, regulators, public agencies and courts, federal, state, tribal and local. Every state.
-
Arizona Senate President
Warren Petersen, Senate President, said a moratorium is not needed and that data centers need to generate their own power and be responsible for their water.
-
Arizona Attorney General
Mayes said she is working on a plan for a new approval process that would allow communities to vote on data center projects and create a commission to review proposed data centers.
-
Pima County Supervisor
Supervisor Jenn Allen said the moratorium would help ensure the county studies impacts including air quality and emissions, water use and water stress, land use and green space, cumulative impacts and community vulnerability, light pollution, construction related dust
-
Supervisor, Pima County District 5
Supervisor Andres Cano stated that Pima County Health Department has raised serious questions about how data centers might impact the county's water supply, air quality, heat, noise, energy, and health.
-
U.S. Senator (R-AZ)
Mark Kelly, Arizona Senator, plans to introduce legislation creating a fund that AI companies would pay into to support workers displaced by technology
-
U.S. Representative (D-Arizona)
Rep. Yassamin Ansari said Arizona needs to pause the expansion of data centers until the state assesses long term impacts on water and ratepayers
-
Arizona Attorney General
Attorney General Kris Mayes calls for a pause on new data center approvals
-
Pima County Board Chair
Jen Allen, Board Chair, stated she does not support NDAs in government but supported the policy as a step towards better transparency
-
Arizona Governor
Governor Hobbs opposes a statewide data center moratorium
-
Arizona Corporation Commission Commissioner Kevin Thompson stated it is not realistic to simply say no to new data centers
-
Jen Allen, Pima County Supervisor
In the two or three weeks leading up to July 1 when moratorium went into effect, there were nearly as many applications for sales tax exemption as in entire 13 years of that exemption being in place.
-
Arizona Attorney General
Attorney General Kris Mayes became the first statewide elected official to call for a moratorium on data centers in Arizona on August 31, citing public concerns about water usage and electricity demand
-
Arizona Governor's Office of Resiliency
Governor's Office of Resiliency report found communities are overwhelmed by the volume and scale of proposed data center projects
-
Pima County Supervisor
Supervisor Jen Allen wants to expand new NDA criteria to existing agreements, not just new ones.
-
President Donald Trump posted on August 31 that communities should want data centers for economic success and jobs
-
Director, Residential Utility Consumer Office
Cynthia Zwick, director of the Residential Utility Consumer Office, attributed backlash to a lack of community engagement from data center developers, utility companies and elected officials
-
Pima County Health Department director
Dr. Theresa Cullen, director of the Pima County Health Department, said she found almost no established guidance from other large local health departments in the Big City Health Coalition on how to assess data center projects
-
Mesa city spokesperson
City spokesperson said rule changes were implemented to keep meetings safe and productive
-
Maricopa County Supervisor
Supervisor Steve Gallardo voted no, stating location was not appropriate
-
Maricopa County Supervisor
Supervisor Debbie Lesko voted in favor, stating the permit decision was about military compatibility not land use
-
Mesa city staff
EdgeCore project not subject to Mesa's July 2025 data center ordinance because initial application submitted January 2024
-
Governor Katie Hobbs called in her January 2026 State of the State address for ending tax incentives for data centers
-
Maricopa County Board Chair
Galvin stated that data centers should not be located near people or residential areas
-
Maricopa County Board Chair
Board Chair Thomas Galvin stated the modernized ordinance was about six months in the making
-
Arizona Corporation Commission
Rachel Walden was the lone nay vote
-
Kate Gallego, Phoenix mayor
Data centers receive large state tax breaks despite being a mature industry that comes in huge numbers
-
Kate Gallego, Phoenix Mayor
APS requested a 14 percent increase in electric bills partly to provide data centers with electricity
-
Kate Gallego, Phoenix Mayor
Data centers pay a lower sales tax rate than small businesses in Arizona
-
Mesa economic development director
Jaye O'Donnell said data centers located in industrial zones is a win for those facilities, the industry and the community alike
-
Jaye O'Donnell, Mesa economic development director
Mesa updated its code to modernize zoning for data centers, which were previously classified as indoor warehousing
-
Scott Butler, Mesa City Manager, stated projects will be grandfathered in under new ordinance
-
Mesa planning director
Mary Kopaskie Brown is Mesa's planning director
-
Mesa Vice Mayor Scott Somers says the updates benefit the city
-
Council in 2023 began expressing concerns about the pace of new data centers coming to Mesa
-
Mesa District 6 Councilman
District 6 Councilman Scott Somers in 2023 commented that southeast Mesa had more than its fair share of data centers
-
Rachel Phillips, Assistant Planning Director
All 15 noted data centers are in southeast Mesa, predominantly along the Elliot Road Technology Corridor, which stretches 5 miles between Signal Butte and Hawes roads
-
Mesa Mayor John Giles said the City of Mesa is thrilled to welcome Google and the decision underscores confidence in the city
-
Mesa Mayor John Giles announced the Google data center project
-
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs announced the Google Mesa data center project on September 6, 2023
-
Arizona Governor
Governor Katie Hobbs stated Google's investment will be critical for Mesa community and state economy
-
Mesa Vice Mayor Jenn Duff said the driest 12 months in 126 years occurred at the time of the vote and data centers are an irresponsible use of water
-
Mesa Mayor
Mayor John Giles said the Google project is a home run and a great day for Mesa
-
William Jabjiniak, Mesa Economic Development Director
Jobs created would average at least $65,000 annually in positions such as systems administrators, technicians, facilities employees and support services
-
Mesa Mayor John Giles stated Mesa has a tech corridor anchored by Apple at one end and Google at the other
-
Mesa Councilman
Councilman Jeremy Whittaker said the Google investment was huge for Mesa
Chief executives 1
Chief executives, presidents, founders and chairs of companies, in technology, data centers, power and elsewhere. Every state.
-
Ian McClarty, President, Phoenix NAP
The recent surge in demand for data centers is driven by artificial intelligence
Utilities and grid operators 4
Electric utilities, cooperatives and the operators of the power grid, and the people who speak for them. Every state.
-
Arizona Public Service spokesperson
APS grid constraints have kept the utility from committing to additional data centers for the last two and a half years
-
Patrick Bogle, APS data center strategist
APS filed a growth pays for growth rate class structure so that large energy consumers pay for the infrastructure required by their growth
-
Patrick Bogle, APS data center strategist
APS does not currently have the infrastructure to support all the power requests it has received
-
Patrick Bogle, APS data center strategist
APS currently has 19 gigawatts of power requests for data center service that it cannot serve today
Candidates and campaigns 2
People running for office, their campaigns and their parties. A candidate who does not hold the office is not an official. Every state.
-
Republican congressional candidate
Jay Feely argues data centers can benefit Arizona communities if developers invest in surrounding areas and use recirculated water.
-
Republican congressional candidate
Jay Feely, GOP congressional candidate for Arizona's 1st Congressional District, received $600,000 from Leading the Future, a pro AI Super PAC, in June 2026.
Business groups and unions 9
Chambers of commerce, trade associations and labor unions. Every state.
-
Executive Vice President, Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Courtney Coolidge, executive vice president of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry, stated across the nation data centers are not polling well
-
Arizona Chamber of Commerce CEO
Seiden said you cannot be anti data center and be pro economy, and that data centers are needed and necessary
-
Danny Seiden, Arizona Chamber of Commerce CEO, said a moratorium on data centers would drive billions of dollars in investment out of Arizona
-
Arizona Chamber of Commerce CEO
Seiden said APS, SRP, and TEP have all put in plans where growth pays for growth through data centers
-
Arizona Chamber of Commerce CEO
Seiden said X identified a bot farm of approximately 200,000 accounts linked to China working to counter the data center boom in America
-
Arizona Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President
Courtney Coolidge, Arizona Chamber Executive Vice President, said moratorium supporters should be willing to give up modern conveniences if willing to call for data center moratorium
-
Arizona Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice President
Courtney Coolidge said Arizona should have serious conversations about where data centers are located, how they are developed, and what responsible growth looks like, rather than a blanket moratorium
-
Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers union members
Supporters say data center construction would provide jobs for five to ten years
-
Chris Greene, speaking for International Association of Fire Fighters, stated fire departments ill prepared for data center facilities
Advocates and residents 13
Advocacy and community groups on every side, residents, neighbors and people speaking at public meetings. Every state.
-
Arizona voters (poll data)
A majority of Arizona voters, regardless of party, support limiting data center development, citing concerns about water use, electricity demand, and infrastructure costs
-
Neighbors raised concerns about water, air quality, noise, wildlife and property values
-
Indivisible leaders claimed they are not given equal speaking time compared to council supporters and data center project no longer appears on public agendas
-
Indivisible leaders
Meagan O'Connor and Jillian Ryan lead East Valley chapters of Indivisible opposing NTT project
-
Nathan Taylor Taft, Mesa High School student and co director of East Valley Unite, urged Mesa City Council on June 8 to reject the proposed NTT data center
-
Mesa High School student and co-director of East Valley Unite
Taft expressed concern about the project's potential impact on Arizona's water supply
-
Arizona Energy Promise Taskforce
Arizona utilities traditionally schedule maintenance during periods of lower demand, such as winter months, but continuous demand from large load facilities can limit these windows
-
Arizona Energy Promise Taskforce
Data centers can require substantial and concentrated energy demand, creating challenges for reliability and affordability
-
Arizona Energy Promise Taskforce
Large load facility construction is exceeding historical growth patterns and challenging how utilities make investment and planning decisions
-
Unnamed resident
If utilities build 50 percent more power capacity and data centers fail to show up, regular customers will be left paying for the overbuilt system
-
Unnamed resident
Policy makers have not had adequate public discussions regarding the impact of data centers on water and livability
-
Jay Irvin of the Butler Design Group said 400 foot setback was outside the standards for setbacks for other types of industrial buildings which range from 15 to 30 feet
-
Tu Nube Seca Mi Río campaign group
Aurora Gómez of campaign group Tu Nube Seca Mi Río called for moratorium on new datacentres in Spain due to water scarcity
Researchers and analysts 17
Universities, research institutes, think tanks, pollsters, economists and consultants. Every state.
-
Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University, said water consumption varies significantly depending on the design and operational needs of each site.
-
Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University
new computer chips designed to operate safely at higher temperatures are beginning to curb water demand
-
Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University
data centers alone are unlikely to destabilize Arizona's long term supply, provided strict local oversight and advanced conservation planning remain front and center
-
Political analyst John Dedie noted that Democrats are responding to strong voter backpush against data center development and AI
-
Arizona State University water law professor
Rhett Larson says data centers are not currently the cause of Colorado River crisis but could worsen the problem
-
Sarah Porter, Director, Kyl Center for Water Policy at ASU
Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station is the largest industrial water user in Arizona
-
Director, Kyl Center for Water Policy at ASU
Sarah Porter says water use reporting for industrial cooling in Arizona is not detailed enough to determine specific quantities for data center cooling
-
Sarah Porter, Director, Kyl Center for Water Policy at ASU
Arizona has eight active management areas (AMAs) where data centers are located, monitored and regulated by the Arizona Department of Water Resources
-
Sarah Porter, Director, Kyl Center for Water Policy at ASU
In Arizona, data center developers and major tech companies have been eager to talk to ASU's research team about their water use and understand community concerns
-
Sarah Porter, Director, Kyl Center for Water Policy at ASU
Arizona has not seen much hyperscale data center development in the state according to ASU research
-
Arizona State University (ASU)
Arizona State University preliminary study found data centers increase temperatures of nearby communities by 1 to 4 degrees.
-
Director, Kyl Center for Water Policy at ASU
Sarah Porter, director of ASU's Kyl Center for Water Policy, says her team began looking into data center water use about two years ago
-
University of Arizona Chief AI and Data Science Officer
David Ebert, U of A Chief AI and Data Science Officer, states data centers' design and energy and water efficiency can be improved through technological innovation
-
Virginia Tech Researcher
Landon Marston, lead author of a Virginia Tech paper, stated researchers are unsure about the degree to which environmental considerations are in data center siting decisions
-
Professor and Director, Texas Tech University Water Resources Center
Venkatesh Uddameri, professor and director of the Water Resources Center at Texas Tech University, stated the typical data center uses about 3-5 million gallons of water per day, equivalent to the water use of a city of 30,000-50,000 people
Other voices 8
Journalists, lawyers, former officials, and speakers the source describes in words that name none of the groups above. Every state.
-
Greg Stanton, Representative
Delegation gave Bureau of Land Management until October 2 to respond on data center transparency
-
Chief Operating Officer, Air2O
Tom Sullivan, COO of Air2O, says Arizona data centers have switched from open loop or evaporative cooling systems to closed loop cooling, where a fresh water glycol mixture is constantly recycled
-
Tom Sullivan, Chief Operating Officer, Air2O
Water use at a midsize data center may be around the same as the annual use as 18 homes
-
Tom Sullivan, Chief Operating Officer, Air2O
Closed loop cooling systems dramatically cut data centers' water use compared to open loop or evaporative systems, but are about 33% more energy intensive
-
Adam Baugh, partner at Withey Morris Baugh PLC, stated the entitlement process for new data centers in Phoenix and neighboring cities is infinitely harder today than a year ago
-
Baccara Eagle Land LLC
Ed Bull of Baccara Eagle Land accepted all Luke Air Force Base compatibility conditions
-
Adam Klepp, ABC15 reporter
An average data center power request equals as much electricity as 250,000 single family homes
-
Adam Klepp, ABC15 reporter, citing Arizona Public Service
Arizona Public Service expects data centers to be the largest driver of power demand growth over the next decade
The group comes from the words the source gives for the speaker; how the groups are read. Every statement on the record is in CSV and JSON, with its group and its state.
