Southwest Missouri Congressman Eric Burlison is urging communities to separate legitimate concerns about data centers from broader anxieties surrounding artificial intelligence and personal data use. His comments come as Joplin prepares for the possibility of a large data center development, prompting city officials and utilities to assess infrastructure needs and development standards.
Burlison articulated his view that a data center is essentially a building filled with computer servers, a presence he described as common in the Ozarks for decades, often unnoticed by the public. He emphasized that questions concerning the collection and use of personal information should be addressed through specific privacy laws, rather than being conflated with discussions about the physical facilities themselves.
The Congressman acknowledged that inquiries into the resources consumed by large data centers are valid. However, he contended that these discussions should parallel how communities evaluate other significant industrial developments. Burlison drew a comparison to the community conversations that would occur if an aluminum smelter or a golf course, which also uses substantial water, were proposed. He argued that infrastructure and zoning considerations should be examined individually, without treating data centers as inherently harmful.
He further advised against letting "hysteria and the hype and the fear about AI" overshadow practical planning. Burlison called for a focused assessment of specific impacts rather than a blanket opposition based on generalized fears about advanced technology.
In Joplin, city officials have recently updated development standards for large data centers. These strengthened regulations include a requirement for new facilities to use closed-loop cooling systems or other technologies that demonstrate comparable water efficiency. This move reflects an increased scrutiny on the environmental and resource demands of such large-scale operations.
Electricity costs for potential data centers are also receiving heightened attention. Liberty Utilities, a service provider in the region, has responded to this by filing a proposed “large load” tariff with Missouri regulators. This tariff aims to establish special rates and long-term requirements specifically designed for extremely large electricity users, a category that would encompass future data centers.
These local developments underscore the active planning underway for potential data center growth in the Joplin area. Burlison’s remarks provide a broader perspective for communities in Southwest Missouri, advocating for a pragmatic approach to evaluating such projects based on concrete impacts rather than generalized technological anxieties.
