Connecticut currently does not have any large scale AI data centers. State Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff of Norwalk, wants to keep it that way, for now.
“We need to have new legislation in the state of Connecticut that puts a moratorium on AI data centers across the state of Connecticut,” Duff said.
Duff announced Thursday he plans to introduce state legislation to place a statewide moratorium on AI data centers when the state legislature begins its session next year.
Duff spoke in front of a Mystic woman’s home as he also boosted former State Rep. Joe de la Cruz’s state senate campaign in the town of Groton. AI data centers are have a political issue not only for the state gubernatorial race, but down ballot races as well.
Duff said he wants to put a stop to AI data centers, and said that de la Cruz’s opponent, Republican incumbent State Sen. Heather Somers, supported building them.
“In this district, the state senator here, current state senator here, is all in on data centers,” Duff said. “Heather Somers is saying that she supports data centers, which is why there's a clear contrast between the Democratic candidate and the Republican candidate.”
Somers criticized Duff in a statement, and said the state legislature previously voted to give municipalities the authority to negotiate with developers.
“Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff suggested yesterday that I would oppose the moratorium, despite the fact that he, my opponent, and I all supported the underlying legislation,” Somers said.
“Yet here my opponent is siding with Hartford over community independence before seeing a bill or even being elected. My position has not changed: I trust local communities to make decisions about their own futures. Hartford should not impose another one-size-fits-all mandate on our towns. I work for you; they work for their boss in Hartford.”
de la Cruz tied data centers to concerns over affordability, especially utility rates, which are among the highest in the country. He said he’s spoken to thousands of voters who mentioned how concerned they were over electric rates.
“This will directly impact what your electric bill looks like not just today or tomorrow, but for the next 10 years or 15 years, as long as these data centers run,” de la Cruz said.
It’s not just Democratic politicians who are criticizing data centers. Republican gubernatorial candidate Ryan Fazio, of Greenwich, has attacked Democratic Governor Ned Lamont on the centers including during a recent debate, over tax breaks for AI data centers.
Fairfield University political science professor, Gayle Alberda, said the criticism of AI data centers comes as residents in and outside of Connecticut are now grappling with broader questions over technology’s place in governance with Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) and automated speed cameras, in addition to “Not in My Backyard” concerns over the centers.
“That idea of Not in My Backyard is becoming more and more prevalent for voters as well,” Alberda said. “So, it's not that they don't want the technology or they're not interested in safety, things like that. But it's how do we balance that, and then how do we make sure that you know the places that we are putting them.”
So far, residents in other municipalities like Trumbull have spoken out against AI data centers. Duff and de la Cruz spoke outside the home of a voter, Paula MacDougall as they spoke about the idea of having an AI data center next door would be unwelcome.
MacDougall referred to a previous fight over a proposed AI data center in nearby Groton that she said would have negatively impacted electric rates in town. She said the town was able to prevail, now she wants the rest of the state to do the same.
“I know we all need them because we all use the internet, but there has to be some sort of guidelines, MacDougall said.
