Planning, Development and Transportation on October 19, 2026
2026-10-19

[0:56] GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU
[0:58] FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
[0:59] FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS
[1:00] SHARON DURKAN, DISTRICT CITY
[1:02] COUNCILOR AND I'M THE CHAIR
[1:03] OF THE BOSTON CITY
[1:04] COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON PLANNING
[1:05] DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION
[1:06] .
[1:06] TODAY IS OCTOBER 19TH AND THE
[1:08] EXACT TIME IS 2:08 P.M..
[1:10] THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED.
[1:12] IT IS ALSO BEING LIVE
[1:14] STREAMED@BOSTON.GOV.
[1:14] BACKSLASH CITY DASH
[1:16] COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCAST
[1:19] ON ACCESSIBILITY CHANNEL EIGHT
[1:20] RCN CHANNEL 82 FILES CHANNEL
[1:23] 964 WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE
[1:24] SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT
[1:26] SIX A AND DEV AT BOSTON.COM AND
[1:29] WILL BE MADE PART OF THE PUBLIC
[1:30] RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL
[1:32] COUNCILORS.
[1:32] PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN
[1:34] AT THE END OF THIS HEARING AT
[1:36] INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON
[1:37] IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY HAVE
[1:38] SIGNED UP TO TESTIFY AND WILL
[1:40] HAVE TWO MINUTES TO TESTIFY.
[1:41] IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN
[1:42] TESTIFYING IN PERSON, PLEASE
[1:43] ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN IN
[1:45] SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE
[1:46] CHAMBER.
[1:47] IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY
[1:48] VIRTUALLY, PLEASE EMAIL OUR
[1:49] CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON SHANE
[1:50] PACK AT SHANE
[1:54] BACKPACK@BOSTON.GOV.
[1:54] FOR THE LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL
[1:56] BE ADDED TO THE LIST.
[1:57] TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET
[1:59] 1718 ORDER REGARDING A TEXT
[2:01] AMENDMENT TO THE BOSTON ZONING
[2:02] CODE TO PROHIBIT DATA CENTERS
[2:04] IN ALL ZONING DISTRICTS.
[2:05] THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED FOR
[2:07] COUNCILORS MINYARD CULPEPER AND
[2:09] BRIAN RALL AND WAS REFERRED TO
[2:10] THE COMMITTEE ON MAY 11TH, 2026
[2:12] .
[2:12] TODAY I'M JOINED BY MY
[2:14] COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL
[2:16] COUNCILOR ED FLYNN AND
[2:17] COUNCILOR MANURE CULPEPER.
[2:18] I'D LIKE TO GIVE THEM EACH AN
[2:20] OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE AN OPENING
[2:21] STATEMENT.
[2:23] UM MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE
[2:24] COUNTRY ARE CONFRONTING THE
[2:25] RAPID GROWTH OF TECH
[2:27] INFRASTRUCTURE AND WHAT TO DO
[2:29] ABOUT DATA CENTERS.
[2:30] WE'VE ALL READ HEADLINES ABOUT
[2:31] MASSIVE FACILITIES MOVING INTO
[2:32] COMMUNITIES, CONSUMING PUBLIC
[2:34] RESOURCES AND CAUSING LOCAL
[2:35] DISRUPTION.
[2:36] DATA CENTERS CONSUME
[2:38] SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF WATER
[2:39] AND ELECTRICITY, AND WE NEED TO
[2:41] GUARD AGAINST OVERUSE OF THESE
[2:42] FINITE RESOURCES.
[2:43] THEY COULD ALSO GENERATE NOISE
[2:44] AND AFFECT RESIDENTS LIVING IN
[2:46] NEARBY COMMUNITIES.
[2:47] PEOPLE ARE RIGHT TO BE CAUTIOUS
[2:48] AND THEY SHOULD HAVE A VOICE IN
[2:50] THESE DECISIONS.
[2:51] BUT THERE'S NO NEED TO BE
[2:52] ALARMED OR MOVED TOO QUICKLY.
[2:54] UNDER BOSTON'S CURRENT ZONING
[2:55] RULES, DATA CENTERS ARE
[2:57] CONDITIONAL MEANING WE CAN
[2:58] EVALUATE THEM PROPOSAL BY
[3:00] PROPOSAL.
[3:00] THE GOVERNOR HAS GIVEN US LOCAL
[3:02] CONTROL AND WE SHOULD USE THAT
[3:04] AUTHORITY TO DEVELOP AN INFORM
[3:05] FRAMEWORK THAT DETERMINES WHAT
[3:07] LEVEL OF IMPACT IS TOO GREAT
[3:08] AND DETERMINE WHAT ARE WE
[3:10] EXACTLY TRYING TO PROTECT
[3:11] AGAINST LARGE HYPERSCALE DATA
[3:13] CENTERS OR CENTRALIZED
[3:15] FACILITIES THAT OTHER CITIES
[3:16] HAVE BANNED ARE UNLIKELY TO
[3:18] COME TO BOSTON GIVEN OUR HIGH
[3:19] LAND AND ENERGY COST.
[3:21] BUT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
[3:23] FACILITIES COULD THREATEN OUR
[3:24] NATURAL RESOURCES, DRIVE UP
[3:26] ENERGY PRICES OR PUT OUR
[3:28] CLIMATE GOALS AT RISK OR HARM
[3:30] OUR COMMUNITIES.
[3:31] IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT ANY
[3:33] LARGE FACILITY WOULD BE SUBJECT
[3:34] TO ARTICLE 80 AND ENVIRONMENTAL
[3:35] REVIEW.
[3:36] UM I'D LIKE TO JUST READ INTO
[3:39] THE RECORD, YOU KNOW, CONSIDER
[3:40] HOLYOKE THE HOME TO THE
[3:42] MASSACHUSETTS GREEN HIGH ENERGY
[3:44] PERFORMANCE COMPUTING CENTER.
[3:46] A GREEN NOISE FREE FACILITY
[3:48] THAT SUPPORTS RESEARCH AT
[3:49] BOSTON UNIVERSITY,
[3:50] NORTHEASTERN, HARVARD, UMASS,
[3:52] MIT AND YALE.
[3:54] HOLYOKE HAS SINCE MOVED TO BAN
[3:55] DATA CENTERS.
[3:57] I RAISED THIS EXAMPLE BECAUSE
[3:58] IT SHOWS WHY WE NEED TO LOOK
[3:59] CAREFULLY AT WHAT WE ARE
[4:00] REGULATING.
[4:01] THERE IS NUANCE HERE.
[4:02] AND EVENTS AND OFTEN NUANCES
[4:05] OVERLOOKED IN POLICY
[4:07] CONVERSATIONS.
[4:07] WE SHOULDN'T MAKE THAT MISTAKE
[4:08] HERE.
[4:09] DATA CENTERS HELP POWER THE
[4:11] INFRASTRUCTURE BEHIND MODERN
[4:12] LIFE.
[4:13] THEY SUPPORT OUR GOVERNMENT
[4:14] HOSPITALS UNIVERSITIES.
[4:15] THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH COMPUTING
[4:17] POWER IS NEEDED TO PROCESS AN
[4:18] MRI OR A CAT SCAN.
[4:20] HOW WOULD THE PROPOSAL BEFORE
[4:21] US AFFECT OUR ACADEMIC AND
[4:23] HEALTH CARE INSTITUTIONS?
[4:24] WHAT IT'S STILL ALLOW ALLOW FOR
[4:26] INFERENCE POINTS AND LAST MILE
[4:28] COMPUTING.
[4:28] BOSTON IS HOME TO A THRIVING
[4:30] RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY AND
[4:31] HEALTHCARE ECOSYSTEMS AND WE
[4:33] NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE
[4:34] IMPLICATIONS THESE SECTORS TO
[4:36] THESE SECTORS BEFORE MOVING
[4:38] FORWARD.
[4:38] WE SHOULD PURSUE AN APPROACH
[4:40] THAT ACCOMMODATES THE FUTURE
[4:41] OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES AND
[4:42] SUPPORTS BOSTON'S
[4:44] COMPETITIVENESS WHILE
[4:45] PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT AND
[4:46] SERVING OUR COMMUNITIES.
[4:48] THIS MEANS PRIORITIZING
[4:49] RESEARCH RESOURCE EFFICIENCY,
[4:51] EQUITABLE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE
[4:53] CLEAN ENERGY, RESPONSIBLE LOCAL
[4:55] DEVELOPMENT AND BETTER STUDY
[4:57] SERVICES.
[4:57] I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY
[4:59] PROPOSAL WE MOVE FORWARD
[5:00] ACCOMPLISHES THESE GOALS.
[5:01] RATHER THAN SIMPLY CHECKING A
[5:03] BOX OFF OF A POLITICAL LIST.
[5:05] THERE ARE OTHER APPROACHES WE
[5:06] CONSIDER TOO, INCLUDING LOCALLY
[5:09] A THRESHOLD BASED LOCAL
[5:10] PERMITTING OPTION WHICH WAS A
[5:12] SUGGESTION FROM A PROFESSOR
[5:13] THAT I SPOKE WITH PRIOR TO THIS
[5:15] HEARING.
[5:15] THAT'S WHY I'M LOOKING FORWARD
[5:17] TO HEARING FROM OUR CITY
[5:18] OFFICIALS, OUR PANELISTS AND
[5:19] MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
[5:21] I HOPE TODAY'S CONVERSATION
[5:22] BRINGS ALL PERSPECTIVES TO THE
[5:23] TABLE AND HELPS US BETTER
[5:25] UNDERSTAND HOW DATA CENTERS
[5:26] FUNCTION AND COULD FUNCTION IN
[5:28] BOSTON, WHICH IMPACTS ARE TOO
[5:30] GREAT AND HOW WE CAN REGULATE
[5:31] THEM THOUGHTFULLY.
[5:32] UM, SO WE HAVE UH
[5:35] COUNCILOR WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY
[5:37] COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE.
[5:38] UH WE'RE GOING TO START WITH
[5:39] THE LEAD SPONSOR FOR UH, TWO
[5:41] MINUTE OPENING STATEMENT,
[5:42] COUNCILOR MANIER CULPEPER.
[5:43] THANK YOU, CHAIR DURKAN FOR
[5:45] HOLDING THIS HEARING.
[5:46] I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE
[5:49] ADMINISTRATION, OUR PANELISTS,
[5:51] MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FOR
[5:54] PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S
[5:55] DISCUSSION.
[5:56] I FOLLOWED THE ZONING AMENDMENT
[5:57] BECAUSE AS DATA CENTERS
[6:00] CONTINUE TO EXPAND ACROSS
[6:01] MASSACHUSETTS AND THE COUNTRY,
[6:03] I BELIEVE BOSTON NEEDS TO
[6:05] DECIDE PROACTIVELY WHETHER THIS
[6:07] IS AN APPROPRIATE LAND USE FOR
[6:09] OUR CITY, WHETHER THAN WAITING
[6:11] FOR A MAJOR DEVELOPMENT
[6:12] PROPOSAL THAT ALREADY BEFORE US
[6:15] DATA CENTERS CAN PLACE ENORMOUS
[6:18] DEMANDS ON ELECTRICITY, WATER,
[6:21] SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE
[6:23] ELECTRICAL GRID WHILE OCCUPYING
[6:26] SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS OF LAND.
[6:28] BOSTON IS ALREADY AN INCREDIBLY
[6:30] DENSE CITY WITH LIMITED
[6:32] DEVELOPABLE LAND AND
[6:35] SIGNIFICANT INFRASTRUCTURE
[6:36] NEEDS.
[6:36] WE SHOULD BE PRIORITIZING THE
[6:39] LIMITED SPACE AND CAPACITY FOR
[6:41] HOUSING BUT JOBS, COMMUNITY
[6:43] DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER USES THAT
[6:45] PROVIDE MORE DIRECT BENEFITS TO
[6:48] OUR RESIDENTS.
[6:49] WE'VE ALSO SEEN COMMUNITIES
[6:50] LIKE LOWELL RAISE CONCERNS
[6:52] ABOUT NOISE, AIR POLLUTION,
[6:55] BACKUP DIESEL GENERATORS AND
[6:56] THE LACK OF MEANINGFUL
[6:58] COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN
[6:59] DECISIONS ABOUT DATA CENTER
[7:02] DEVELOPMENT.
[7:02] THESE CONCERNS ARE PARTICULARLY
[7:04] IMPORTANT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
[7:05] JUSTICE COMMUNITIES THAT
[7:07] ALREADY EXPERIENCED
[7:09] DISPROPORTIONATE ENVIRONMENTAL
[7:10] BURDENS.
[7:11] THIS IS ALSO A MATTER OF CIVIL
[7:13] AND RIGHTS AND EQUITY AS LOW
[7:16] INCOME COMMUNITIES AND
[7:18] HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED
[7:19] POPULATIONS ARE TOO OFTEN LEFT
[7:21] BEARING THE BRUNT
[7:23] OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC
[7:24] COST OF DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT
[7:26] SHARING PROPORTIONATELY AND THE
[7:28] BENEFITS.
[7:29] WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY.
[7:30] LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN WE HAVE A
[7:33] RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT
[7:34] THESE COMMUNITIES ARE NOT
[7:36] SUBJECTED TO ADDITIONAL
[7:38] ENVIRONMENTAL BURDENS OR
[7:39] EXCLUDED FROM DECISIONS THAT
[7:40] DIRECTLY AFFECT THEIR HEALTH
[7:42] AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
[7:43] THAT IS WHY THIS AMENDMENT
[7:45] PROPOSES DEFINING DATA CENTERS
[7:47] ,ENFORCING ZONING CODE AND
[7:49] MAKING THEM OF A BUILDING USE
[7:51] CITYWIDE WHILE PROTECTING
[7:53] ORDINARY SERVER ROOMS COMPUTER
[7:55] INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SUPPORT
[7:57] EXISTING BUSINESSES,
[7:59] EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND
[8:00] OTHER LAWFUL USES.
[8:02] I RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE
[8:03] DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON
[8:05] WHETHER AN OUTRIGHT
[8:07] PROHIBITION, A MORATORIUM OR
[8:09] MORE STRINGENT ZONING
[8:11] REGULATIONS WOULD BE THE MOST
[8:12] EFFECTIVE APPROACH.
[8:14] I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM
[8:15] OUR PANELISTS ABOUT THESE
[8:17] ALTERNATIVE AND WHAT
[8:19] PROTECTIONS BOSTON SHOULD
[8:20] CONSIDER.
[8:21] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[8:22] THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[8:23] UM, COUNCILOR FLYNN.
[8:26] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[8:27] I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO
[8:29] COUNCIL PEPPER AND COUNCIL.
[8:31] WE'RE ALL FOR BRINGING THIS
[8:32] IMPORTANT SUBJECT FORWARD.
[8:34] I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO
[8:36] THE ADMINISTRATION FOR BEING
[8:37] HERE AND FOR THE, UH, COMMUNITY
[8:40] PIANO AS WELL AMID AMTRUST AND
[8:42] HEARING FROM PEOPLE ON BOTH
[8:44] SIDES OF THE ISSUE.
[8:47] I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US
[8:48] ON THE CITY COUNCIL TO LISTEN
[8:51] TO ALL SIDES.
[8:54] I DO HAVE A DATA CENTER LOCATED
[8:57] IN MY DISTRICT THAT I HAVE
[8:58] VISITED SEVERAL TIMES.
[9:02] I DO KNOW THAT THIS DATA CENTER
[9:04] IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN BOSTON
[9:06] DOES PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE
[9:09] SUPPORTING MANY IMPORTANT
[9:13] INSTITUTIONS NOT JUST HERE IN
[9:15] BOSTON BUT REALLY, REALLY
[9:17] ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS WELL.
[9:21] I ALSO KNOW THAT THE BOSTON
[9:23] PUBLIC SCHOOL DEPARTMENT, UM,
[9:26] ALSO PARTNERED WITH UMASS
[9:28] BOSTON UM, RECENTLY TO IMPROVE
[9:32] ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AI
[9:33] PROFICIENCY AMONG STUDENTS.
[9:36] BOSTON HAS INDICATED INTEREST
[9:39] IN PARTNERING WITH UM MIT
[9:41] PARTNERING WITH WITH SEVERAL
[9:43] OTHERS UM IN THE INNOVATION
[9:46] ECONOMY AND CODING.
[9:49] UM I UH LIFE SCIENCES THESE.
[9:57] EMERGING TECHNOLOGY UM DOES
[10:00] DESERVE US TO REVIEW AND
[10:03] UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT IS
[10:04] HAPPENING AND WHAT THE
[10:06] COMMUNITY PROCESS IS AND I
[10:09] REFERENCED THAT BECAUSE WE ALSO
[10:10] KNOW THAT GOVERNOR HALEY SIGNED
[10:12] AN EXECUTIVE ORDER ESTABLISHING
[10:15] REGULATIONS AND OVERSIGHT FOR
[10:16] LARGE DATA CENTERS.
[10:20] AS I AS I UNDERSTAND IT,
[10:22] DEVELOPERS MUST NOW SECURE FOR
[10:24] LOCAL APPROVAL IN A COMMUNITY
[10:26] BENEFITS AGREEMENT BEFORE ANY
[10:28] PERMIT STATE.
[10:29] UM AND I SHOULD SAY IS
[10:30] APPROVED.
[10:33] UM, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT MANY
[10:35] PEOPLE IN THE MEDICAL FIELDS
[10:37] REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT THESE
[10:39] DATA CENTERS ARE TO THE ECONOMY
[10:42] AND AND UM, AND TO ENSURING
[10:46] THAT WE PROVIDE THE BEST
[10:48] MEDICAL CARE WE POSSIBLY CAN.
[10:49] I'M GOING TO STOP THERE, BUT
[10:51] I'M REALLY HERE TO LISTEN AND
[10:53] LEARN MORE FROM BOTH SIDES.
[10:54] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[10:55] THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[10:56] UM, WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY A WHO
[10:58] WE'RE ALL BUT WHO IS THE SECOND
[11:00] CO-SPONSOR SO I'M GOING TO LET
[11:01] HIM GO NEXT.
[11:02] UM, COUNCILOR EARLE.
[11:04] UH THANK YOU CHAIR.
[11:05] UM, AND THANK YOU TO MY, UH,
[11:07] CO-SPONSOR, UH,
[11:09] COUNCILOR CULPEPER.
[11:09] UM, JUST HERE FOR THE
[11:11] CONVERSATION AROUND, UH, WHAT
[11:13] REGULATIONS UH, WE SHOULD BE
[11:14] THINKING ABOUT AROUND DATA
[11:16] CENTERS.
[11:17] UH, WHAT ARE THEIR CURRENT
[11:19] IMPACTS?
[11:19] UH, WHEN IT COMES TO, UH,
[11:22] CONSUMPTION OF ENERGY OR ANY
[11:23] RESOURCES AND THEN JUST TO KIND
[11:25] OF GET LIKE A BASELINE OF WHAT
[11:29] AND I KNOW THE GOVERNOR HAS PUT
[11:30] SOMETHING IN PLACE BUT WHAT
[11:31] ADDITIONAL IF ANY, UH,
[11:34] REGULATIONS.
[11:34] UM, HOW MANY DATA CENTERS AND
[11:37] IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL
[11:38] REVENUE THAT WE'RE COLLECTING
[11:39] FROM THEM OUTSIDE OF UM
[11:42] PROPERTY TAX.
[11:42] SO HERE FOR THE CONVERSATION
[11:44] UH, TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW WE
[11:47] SHOULD BE, UH, REGULATING UH,
[11:50] DATA CENTERS BUT ALSO JUST
[11:51] TRYING TO GET A BASELINE OF IT.
[11:53] THANK YOU.
[11:53] THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILOR.
[11:55] COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE.
[11:57] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[11:58] AND THANK YOU TO THE SPONSORS
[11:59] FOR BRINGING THIS DOCKET
[12:00] FORWARD.
[12:00] UH, RIGHT NOW WE ARE IN A
[12:02] NATIONAL CONVERSATION AROUND
[12:03] THE ROLE OF DATA CENTERS AS
[12:05] BEING UM, RESOURCE INTENSIVE
[12:07] AND EXTRACTIVE FROM OUR
[12:08] COMMUNITY.
[12:09] SO IT'S AN IMPORTANT AND TIMELY
[12:11] CONVERSATION FOR US TO HAVE.
[12:12] I DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE HEARD I
[12:14] PERSONALLY HEARD FROM UNION
[12:15] LEADERS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE
[12:17] OF TECHNOLOGY, UM, CENTERS THAT
[12:18] WE HAVE IN THE CITY.
[12:19] AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
[12:21] WE ARE BEING VERY THOUGHTFUL
[12:22] WHEN WE ARE MOVING FORWARD.
[12:23] BUT I WANT TO THANK THE
[12:24] GOVERNOR FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND
[12:25] ALREADY PUTTING OUT AN
[12:26] EXECUTIVE ORDER.
[12:27] WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE
[12:29] AS NEW TECHNOLOGY BUILDS IT'S
[12:31] NOT TO EXTRACTIVE AND NOT TO UM
[12:34] UH NOT TAKING AWAY SOME FROM
[12:36] FROM BASIC NEEDS OF OF OUR
[12:37] RESIDENTS AND OF OUR CITY.
[12:38] SO I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT
[12:40] OF REASON TO MOVE WITH CAUTION
[12:41] AND TO BE DELIBERATE AND TO
[12:43] MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE UH, NOT
[12:46] ALLOWING UH, USE OF THE GRID IN
[12:48] A WAY THAT IS UNFAIR TO OUR
[12:50] RESIDENTS.
[12:50] AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
[12:51] THE CONVERSATION AND I WANT TO
[12:52] THANK THE ADMINISTRATION FOR
[12:53] YOUR PRESENCE HERE.
[12:54] THANK YOU.
[12:54] THANKS, MADAM CHAIR.
[12:55] THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[12:57] UM, AND UM, I'M GOING TO READ
[12:59] ONE LETTER OF ABSENCE INTO THE
[13:00] RECTOR FROM COUNCIL PRESIDENT
[13:02] BREADON.
[13:02] DEAR CHAIR DURKAN, I REGRET TO
[13:04] THAT I'M UNABLE TO ATTEND THIS
[13:06] AFTERNOON'S HEARING ON DOCKET
[13:07] 1718.
[13:08] ORDER FOR OUR AUDIT ORDER
[13:11] REGARDING A TEXT AMENDMENT TO
[13:12] THE BOSTON ZONING CODE TO
[13:13] PROHIBIT DATA CENTERS IN ALL
[13:14] ZONING DISTRICTS.
[13:15] WHILE I AM UNABLE TO ATTEND
[13:16] TODAY'S HEARING, MEMBERS OF MY
[13:17] TEAM WILL BE LISTENING AND TO
[13:19] CRITICALLY TO THIS CRITICALLY
[13:21] IMPORTANT DISCUSSION AND I PLAN
[13:22] TO REVIEW THE RECORDING.
[13:23] I KINDLY ASK THAT YOU READ THIS
[13:25] LETTER INTO THE RECORD.
[13:26] THANK YOU.
[13:27] UM AND THAT'S COUNCIL PRESIDENT
[13:28] MOSS BREADON.
[13:29] OKAY.
[13:30] UM NEXT WE'RE GOING TO HEAR
[13:31] FROM OUR PANEL.
[13:33] DO YOU HAVE ANY OPENING
[13:34] STATEMENTS?
[13:39] YES.
[13:39] UH, FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME
[13:41] IS JEFF THOMAS.
[13:41] I'M THE SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO
[13:42] THE CHIEF OF PLANNING IN THE
[13:43] PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
[13:44] I AM A TIME THE CHIEF
[13:46] INFORMATION.
[13:47] OFFICER AND THEN I HAVE A
[13:49] STATEMENT.
[13:49] UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THE
[13:51] COUNCIL FOR PROVIDING THE
[13:52] OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY AND
[13:53] FOR PROMPTING AN IMPORTANT
[13:54] DISCUSSION ON REGARDING THE
[13:56] ZONING OF DATA CENTERS IN THE
[13:58] CITY OF BOSTON BOSTON'S WORLD
[13:59] CLASS UNIVERSITIES, TEACHING
[14:01] HOSPITALS, RESEARCH
[14:02] INSTITUTIONS AND OUR
[14:03] EXCEPTIONAL INNOVATION SECTOR
[14:05] RELY ON IMMENSE COMPUTING
[14:06] COMPUTING POWER TO SOLVE OUR
[14:08] MOST CRITICAL CHALLENGES.
[14:09] OUR CITY HAS ALWAYS WELCOMED
[14:11] THE JOBS, INNOVATION AND
[14:13] DISCOVERY THAT THIS NEW
[14:15] TECHNOLOGY BRINGS.
[14:17] BOSTON IS CURRENTLY HAS A
[14:18] CURRENTLY HAS A HANDFUL OF DATA
[14:20] CENTERS SOME DATING BACK TO THE
[14:21] 1990S SERVING AS CLOUD
[14:23] COMPUTING SERVICES FOR
[14:24] COMPANIES IN THE AREA.
[14:25] NONE OF THESE ARE HYPERSCALE
[14:27] DATA CENTERS AND NONE ARE
[14:29] DEDICATED TO AI.
[14:30] HOWEVER, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE
[14:32] RAPID RISE OF MODERN HYPERSCALE
[14:34] DATA CENTERS PRESENT A UNIQUE
[14:37] ENVIRONMENTAL RISK POTENTIAL
[14:38] FOR COMMUNITY DISRUPTIONS.
[14:40] UH, AMONG OTHER THINGS, TODAY'S
[14:43] HYPERSCALE FACILITIES ARE
[14:44] ENTIRELY DIFFERENT OPERATIONS
[14:45] FROM THE DATA CENTERS BUILT IN
[14:47] THE PAST.
[14:47] THEY DRAW HEAVILY ON THE GRID,
[14:49] USE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF WATER
[14:50] FOR COOLING, RELY ON DIESEL
[14:51] BACKUP GENERATORS AND PRODUCE
[14:54] LOCALIZED NOISE AND HEAT.
[14:55] IN SHORT, THEY ARE PROBABLY NOT
[14:57] A GOOD FIT FOR THE URBAN
[14:58] ENVIRONMENT OR OTHER SITES IN
[14:59] CLOSE PROXIMITY TO PEOPLE.
[15:01] OUR CURRENT ZONING CODE LIMITS
[15:03] THE LARGE SCALE IMPACTS
[15:06] OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND DATA
[15:07] DISTRIBUTION CENTERS BY
[15:07] CONSTRAINING THEM TO PROVIDING
[15:09] ESSENTIAL SERVICES IN THE AREAS
[15:11] WHERE THEY ARE LOCATED.
[15:12] THESE TRADITIONAL TELECOM DATA
[15:14] DATA USES ARE ONLY ALLOWED
[15:16] WITHIN THREE VERY SMALL AREAS
[15:18] OF THE CITY.
[15:19] MEANWHILE, NEW HYPERSCALE DATA
[15:21] CENTERS CANNOT BE BUILT
[15:22] ANYWHERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON
[15:23] WITHOUT EXPLICIT REGULATORY
[15:24] REVIEW BY SEVERAL CITY
[15:25] OF BOSTON DEPARTMENTS.
[15:27] ANY LARGE SCALE PROJECT
[15:30] PROPOSED TODAY WOULD BE SUBJECT
[15:31] TO SIGNIFICANT SCRUTINY THROUGH
[15:32] THE ARTICLE 80 PROCESS AND AS
[15:34] AN EXTREMELY LIMITED ZONING
[15:35] PATHWAYS WITHOUT EXPLICIT
[15:37] APPROVALS FROM THE PLANNING
[15:38] DEPARTMENT, THE BPA BOARD AND
[15:40] ULTIMATELY THE ZONING BOARD
[15:41] OF APPEAL.
[15:42] IN SHORT, ALTHOUGH BOSTON DOES
[15:44] NOT HAVE DATA CENTER SPECIFIC
[15:46] ZONING AT THIS TIME, OUR
[15:48] EXISTING LAWS MEAN THERE IS NOT
[15:49] AN IMMINENT RISK IN ANY
[15:50] PROPOSAL OF SCALE WOULD BE
[15:52] SUBJECT TO CITY APPROVAL,
[15:53] INCLUDING PLENTY OF COMMUNITY
[15:55] FEEDBACK.
[15:55] IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR, MAYOR WU
[15:57] SIGNED BOSTON ONTO THE C40
[15:59] GLOBAL URBAN DATA CENTERS PACT
[16:01] ,WHICH REQUIRES STRICT
[16:03] SCRUTINY OF ANY DATA CENTER
[16:05] PROPOSALS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND
[16:06] QUALITY OF LIFE IMPACTS.
[16:08] THIS GLOBAL FRAMEWORK ALIGNS
[16:10] WITH OUR VISION FOR COMMERCIAL
[16:11] USES.
[16:11] THEY'RE STRATEGICALLY
[16:12] INTEGRATED INTO CITIES RESOURCE
[16:14] EFFICIENT, ACCOUNTABLE TO THEIR
[16:15] HOST COMMITTEES, COMMUNITIES
[16:17] AND ENGINE FOR THEIR SHARED
[16:20] PROSPERITY.
[16:20] THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS IN
[16:22] THE PROCESS OF CODIFYING THESE
[16:23] REQUIREMENTS INTO OUR ZONING
[16:24] CODE.
[16:25] WE LOOK WORK.
[16:26] WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
[16:28] THE COUNCIL ON ANY PROPOSED
[16:29] ZONING AMENDMENTS SPECIFICALLY
[16:30] AROUND NEW DEFINITIONS TO FIT
[16:32] EMERGING TECHNOLOGY.
[16:34] THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND
[16:35] WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
[16:36] QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
[16:37] THANK YOU SO MUCH JEFF.
[16:39] UM AND JIM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
[16:41] SPEAK?
[16:42] NO.
[16:43] I SUPPORT THE STATEMENT THAT
[16:44] WAS MADE AND I'M HAPPY TO
[16:45] ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU
[16:46] MIGHT HAVE.
[16:47] OKAY.
[16:48] PERFECT.
[16:48] WE'LL START WITH THE LEAD.
[16:49] UH, SPONSOR I'M IN YOUR
[16:51] CULPEPER.
[16:51] UM, WE'RE GOING TO DO FIVE
[16:53] MINUTES WITH THIS PANEL.
[16:55] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[16:56] SORRY IF YOU COULD TURN US MIKE
[16:58] ON.
[16:59] PERFECT.
[17:03] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[17:04] AND THANK YOU, JEFF, FOR, UM,
[17:08] GIVING US THAT INFORMATION.
[17:10] YOU DID?
[17:10] I HAD A FEW QUESTIONS, UH,
[17:13] REGARDING THE C40 DATA CENTER
[17:15] PACK.
[17:16] WHO WHO ARE THE MEMBERS OF THE
[17:18] C40 DATA MEMBER PACK?
[17:21] SO I'LL TAKE THAT ONE.
[17:22] UM, C40 IS A GROUP OF MAYOR
[17:26] OF CITIES FROM THE LARGEST
[17:28] GLOBAL CITIES.
[17:29] UH, THEY ARE CITIES THAT SIGNED
[17:32] UP FOR CLIMATE COMMITMENTS SO
[17:33] VERY SIMILAR TO BOSTON AND THE
[17:35] AMBITION IN OUR CLIMATE
[17:37] AMBITIONS.
[17:38] AND IN THIS PACT I AM NOT SURE
[17:42] OF THE SPECIFIC CITIES BUT I I
[17:44] BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE AMONG THE
[17:46] LARGEST CITIES IN C40 ITSELF.
[17:49] SO THE PACT THE THE CITIES THAT
[17:52] SIGNED ON TO THE PACT COULD.
[17:53] INCLUDE LONDON, UM, SAN
[17:56] FRANCISCO SOME OF THE LARGEST
[17:57] CITIES AROUND THE WORLD THAT
[17:58] MIGHT BE DEALING WITH THIS KIND
[17:59] OF ISSUE.
[18:00] DO YOU KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHAT
[18:02] CITIES IN THE PACT?
[18:03] AND IF YOU DON'T, CAN YOU
[18:05] PROVIDE US?
[18:05] WE ARE.
[18:06] I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFIC
[18:07] LIST BUT WOULD BE HAPPY TO
[18:09] FOLLOW UP WITH THE FEATURED.
[18:10] CITIES ARE DUBLIN, ATLANTA,
[18:12] COLUMBUS, AMSTERDAM, NEW YORK,
[18:14] LONDON, MILAN, CHENNAI, PHOENIX
[18:16] AND.
[18:16] THEN ALL.
[18:17] OF THEM.
[18:18] THOSE ARE THE FEATURED
[18:19] CITIES FOR THAT SPECIFICALLY
[18:20] RELATED TO DATA CENTERS.
[18:22] GETTING LISTS OF ALL OF THEM
[18:23] NOT JUST THE FEATURED CITIES,
[18:25] JUST ALL OF THE CITIES THAT ARE
[18:27] PART OF THE C40 PACK.
[18:29] AND CAN WE HAVE A COPY OF THE
[18:31] C40 PACK THE ACTUAL PACK.
[18:33] TO SEE WHAT IT SAYS?
[18:34] SURE, ABSOLUTELY.
[18:35] WE'RE ACTUALLY PRINTING IT.
[18:37] YEAH, WE'RE PRINTING IT AS WE
[18:38] SPEAK.
[18:39] YOU'RE PRINTED RIGHT?
[18:40] UH.
[18:42] YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS
[18:44] WITH REGARD TO UM, THE DATA
[18:48] CENTERS AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE
[18:51] .
[18:52] UM, DOES THE PLANNING
[18:55] DEPARTMENT BELIEVE THAT A
[18:57] CITYWIDE PROHIBITION IS
[18:59] APPROPRIATE UH, WITH REGARD TO
[19:02] LAND USE POLICY OR WOULD THERE
[19:05] BE OR DO YOU THINK A MORE
[19:06] NARROW PROHIBITION IS MORE
[19:08] APPROPRIATE REGARDING ZONING
[19:10] RESTRICTIONS?
[19:12] YEAH.
[19:12] AT THIS TIME WE DON'T THINK,
[19:14] UH, CITYWIDE PROHIBITION IS
[19:16] NECESSARY.
[19:16] I THINK WE DEFINITELY ARE OPEN
[19:19] TO DISCUSSING NEW ZONING
[19:20] DEFINITIONS, THE MAPPING
[19:22] OF THOSE AREAS WITH THE
[19:25] COUNCIL UM, AND OTHER RELATED
[19:27] UH, ZONING ISSUES.
[19:28] BUT I THINK AT THIS TIME
[19:30] OF PROHIBITION WE DON'T.
[19:30] BELIEVE IS NECESSARY.
[19:31] AND SO WHAT'S THE DEFINITION
[19:34] OF DATA CENTERS THAT WE HAVE
[19:35] UNDER THE ZONING CODE TODAY?
[19:38] SO RIGHT NOW.
[19:39] THE THE USE THAT WE HAVE IS
[19:41] CALLED TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND
[19:43] DATA SENT DATA DISTRIBUTION
[19:45] CENTERS.
[19:47] UM THE DEFINITION IS NOT
[19:49] THOROUGHLY UM FLESHED OUT
[19:52] BECAUSE THIS IS THESE TYPES
[19:55] OF USES WERE MOSTLY MEANT IN
[19:57] SERVICE OF EITHER BUSINESSES OR
[20:00] RESIDENCES.
[20:01] SO THINK OF THE TYPE OF UM
[20:04] TECHNOLOGY THAT'S COMING INTO
[20:05] YOUR HOME.
[20:05] THEY ALLOW YOU TO USE AND NEED
[20:07] SOME PLACE FOR THAT TECHNOLOGY
[20:09] TO COME IN SOMEWHERE.
[20:11] UH DATA STORAGE, THINGS OF THAT
[20:12] NATURE.
[20:13] SO WE ESSENTIALLY THE OLD
[20:17] ZONING CODE DEFINITION IS IS
[20:19] ABOUT STORAGE AND DELIVERING
[20:21] THINGS TO THE HOUSE, NOT
[20:23] NECESSARILY PROCESSING
[20:25] OF INFORMATION THE WAY THAT
[20:26] THESE AI TECHNOLOGIES ARE.
[20:28] SO THERE'S NO REAL DEFINITION
[20:30] IN THE ZONING CODE TODAY THAT
[20:32] SPECIFICALLY APPLIES TO DATA
[20:34] CENTERS.
[20:35] THEY APPLY TO DATA CENTERS
[20:37] BECAUSE IT'S OH BUT.
[20:38] IS IT A DATA CENTER?
[20:40] NECESSARILY AN ISSUE?
[20:42] IS IT A DATA CENTER DEFINITION
[20:44] ?
[20:45] IT'S STILL IT'S STILL INSIDE
[20:48] OF THAT DEFINITION.
[20:49] THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND DATA
[20:50] CENTER.
[20:51] READ IT AND THERE.
[20:53] THAT THAT THAT IS WHAT IT IS.
[20:55] IT'S A.
[20:55] TELECOMMUNICATION I KNOW BUT.
[20:56] CAN YOU READ IT BECAUSE I WANT
[20:58] TO SEE WHETHER THE WORD DATA
[20:59] CENTER IS IN THAT DEFINITION OR
[21:02] WHETHER YOU'RE JUST APPLYING IT
[21:04] TO DATA CENTER.
[21:06] I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME
[21:07] SO I'LL HAVE TO GET BACK.
[21:08] TO YOU.
[21:08] WE CAN LOOK THAT UP TO CAN.
[21:11] YEAH.
[21:12] I DON'T WANT TO LOOK IT UP.
[21:13] CAN YOU APPLY IT?
[21:14] CAN YOU SUPPLY IT TO US THROUGH
[21:16] THE CHAIR?
[21:17] SURE.
[21:18] OKAY.
[21:18] BECAUSE I'M REALLY CONCERNED
[21:20] ABOUT TAKING A DEFINITION THAT
[21:24] IS NOT REALLY MEANT TO APPLY TO
[21:26] DATA CENTERS AND APPLYING IT TO
[21:28] DATA CENTERS AND NOT REALLY
[21:31] HAVING THE APPLICABILITY OR THE
[21:34] PROHIBITION THAT WE'RE TRYING
[21:36] TO ACHIEVE.
[21:37] AND SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT WE'RE
[21:40] STARTING FROM SCRATCH WITH
[21:42] REGARD TO THE DATA CENTER
[21:44] ZONING CODE.
[21:46] AND I WOULDN'T SAY THAT WE'RE
[21:47] STARTING FROM SCRATCH.
[21:48] BUT I THINK.
[21:50] THAT YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT
[21:51] THAT WE DO NEED TO UPDATE
[21:52] DEFINITIONS IN OUR ZONING CODE.
[21:54] AND AND YOU'RE WILLING TO WORK
[21:55] WITH US ON THAT.
[21:56] ABSOLUTELY.
[21:57] I'LL BE GLAD TO WORK WITH YOU
[21:59] JEFF, LIKE WE ARE ON OTHER
[22:00] THINGS.
[22:00] THANK YOU.
[22:02] THANK YOU SO MUCH,
[22:05] COUNCILOR CULPEPER.
[22:05] UM COUNCILOR ARROYO.
[22:08] THANK YOU.
[22:08] CHAIR.
[22:09] UM, JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
[22:11] YOU MENTIONED A LIST OR STATED
[22:15] THAT WE HAVE SOME DATA CENTERS.
[22:17] UH, HOW MANY DO WE ALREADY HAVE
[22:20] IN BOSTON?
[22:22] UM, THE DEFINITION BY THIS
[22:25] DEFINITION OF DATA CENTERS
[22:26] WHICH IS UM, INCLUDED AND
[22:28] BASICALLY TELECOMMUNICATIONS
[22:30] INFRASTRUCTURE.
[22:31] WE KNOW OF FOUR BUT UM, ONE WAY
[22:34] OF THINKING ABOUT IT BEYOND A
[22:36] VERIZON FACILITY OR A COMCAST
[22:39] FACILITY IS THAT SOME OF OUR
[22:41] INSTITUTIONS ARE PRIVATE
[22:42] INSTITUTIONS LIKE A MEDICAL A
[22:43] HOSPITAL.
[22:44] THEY MIGHT ALSO STORE DATA AND
[22:46] THEY MIGHT REFER TO THAT AS A
[22:48] DATA CENTER ITSELF.
[22:49] SO I JUST THINK IT SPEAKS TO
[22:51] THE NEED FOR AN UPDATED
[22:52] DEFINITION AS WELL.
[22:53] GOT IT.
[22:55] UM AND THEN I KNOW BERTO
[22:58] GENERALLY COVERS BUILDINGS
[23:00] AROUND 20,000FT2 OR MORE.
[23:02] UH, BUT A DATA CENTER CAN HAVE
[23:04] A, YOU KNOW, RELATIVELY SMALL
[23:07] FOOTPRINT BUT STILL CONSUME A
[23:09] TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESOURCES.
[23:11] UH, DO WE KNOW HOW MANY DATA
[23:12] CENTERS ARE CURRENTLY REPORTING
[23:14] UNDER BERTO AND HOW MANY FAR
[23:16] BELOW THAT SQUARE FOOTAGE
[23:17] THRESHOLD?
[23:18] AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE
[23:19] INFORMATION YET.
[23:20] YEAH, WE.
[23:21] CAN BE.
[23:22] LIKE YEAH, BACK TO ME.
[23:23] IF.
[23:24] I DO ON THAT.
[23:24] UM.
[23:27] I GUESS MY OTHER QUESTION IS
[23:29] AND MAYBE THIS MIGHT NOT BE A
[23:31] QUESTION FOR THIS PANEL HERE
[23:32] BUT JUST KNOWING THE AMOUNT
[23:35] OF RESOURCES THAT DATA CENTERS
[23:38] UH UH, EXTRACT FROM THE
[23:39] COMMUNITY IS.
[23:41] IT WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS OR I
[23:43] KNOW DIFFERENT TYPES
[23:44] OF BUSINESSES WE REQUIRE THEM
[23:46] TO GO THROUGH DIFFERENT TYPES
[23:47] OF REGULATIONS SOMETIMES EVEN
[23:48] REQUIRING THEM TO HAVE A LIKE A
[23:50] LICENSE.
[23:51] UM, COULD WE REQUIRE DATA
[23:53] CENTERS TO OBTAIN AN ANNUAL
[23:56] OPERATING LICENSE AND PAY A FEE
[23:58] THAT COVERS, UH, THE CITY'S
[24:00] MONITORING, INSPECTION,
[24:01] INSPECTION OR REGULATORY COSTS?
[24:06] I THINK IT MUST BE SOMETHING
[24:07] THAT WE NEED TO EXPLORE.
[24:10] YEAH.
[24:10] HAVE WE WOULDN'T WE WE
[24:12] WOULDN'T GOVERN THAT UNDER IN
[24:14] THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT UNDER
[24:15] THE ZONING CODE SO WE WOULD
[24:16] HAVE TO.
[24:17] WE'D HAVE TO EXPLORE THAT.
[24:20] THE UM THE OTHER EXAMPLE I CAN
[24:21] THINK OF IS WITH THE
[24:23] TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROVIDERS WE
[24:25] HAVE SOME FRANCHISE LICENSES
[24:27] AND MAYBE THERE IS A MODEL
[24:29] THERE BUT THIS IS DEFINITELY AN
[24:31] AREA TO LOOK INTO.
[24:32] GOT IT.
[24:32] AND THEN ARE WE MONITORING
[24:36] OR HAVING ANY IDEA OF HOW MUCH
[24:39] THE CURRENT DATA CENTERS THAT
[24:40] WE HAVE NOW ARE EXTRACTING?
[24:42] UM IN TERMS OF LIKE RESOURCES,
[24:44] UTILITIES, WATER OR EVEN LIKE
[24:48] IN EMISSIONS?
[24:49] ANY INFORMATION AROUND THAT?
[24:51] I'VE I BELIEVE THAT IN OUR
[24:55] ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT IN ORDER
[24:57] TO SIGN UP FOR THAT GLOBAL PACT
[25:00] UH MIGHT HAVE STARTED TO LOOK
[25:01] INTO THIS BUT THAT'S JUST
[25:03] SOMETHING WE CAN GET BACK TO
[25:04] YOU ABOUT SPECIFICALLY ON THE
[25:06] RESOURCE CONSUMPTION.
[25:08] GOT IT.
[25:08] UM.
[25:15] AND THEN.
[25:16] MAYBE THIS IS NOT A QUESTION
[25:17] FOR YOU BUT MAYBE ANOTHER
[25:19] QUESTION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
[25:21] UM, WHAT HAPPENS WITH EMISSIONS
[25:23] FROM BACKUP GENERATORS?
[25:25] UH, DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH BACKUP
[25:26] GENERATOR ENERGY?
[25:27] OUR EXISTING DATA CENTERS ARE
[25:29] REPORTING AND HOW MUCH IS BEING
[25:31] EXCLUDED FROM THEIR
[25:32] CALCULATIONS.
[25:32] THIS COULD BE ANOTHER
[25:34] ENVIRONMENTAL.
[25:34] I THINK A LOT OF MY OTHER
[25:36] QUESTIONS AROUND THE
[25:36] ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THESE
[25:38] DATA CENTERS SO NOTED I THINK I
[25:41] THINK A LOT OF UM I SEE UM UH
[25:45] EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FAROOQUI ON
[25:47] THE NEXT PANEL.
[25:47] SO I'LL SAVE MY QUESTIONS FOR
[25:49] THE SECOND PANEL.
[25:51] THANK YOU CHAIR.
[25:53] THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[25:54] UM, SORRY I WAS TALKING TO MY
[25:57] COLLEAGUE BUT UM, REALLY
[25:59] GRATEFUL, UM, TO YOU ALL FOR
[26:01] BEING HERE.
[26:01] UM, I HAVE REALLY GOTTEN INTO
[26:03] THE WEEDS OF THIS ISSUE SINCE
[26:05] WE NOTICED THE HEARING TO TRY
[26:07] TO UNDERSTAND FROM BOTH LIKE
[26:09] THE TECHNOLOGY HOSPITAL, YOU
[26:12] KNOW, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE
[26:16] COMMUNITY THAT EXIST IN BOSTON
[26:17] WHAT IMPACTS A ZONING AMENDMENT
[26:20] THAT, UM, THAT PROHIBITS THEM
[26:22] FROM ALL ZONING DISTRICTS WOULD
[26:23] HAVE.
[26:24] UM, I THINK THAT RIGHTFULLY SO
[26:27] A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS
[26:28] ABOUT HOW THIS WOULD IMPACT UM,
[26:30] COMPUTING CENTERS IN THE
[26:32] HOSPITAL ENVIRONMENT AS WELL AS
[26:36] UM, INFERENCE POINTS THAT ARE
[26:38] NEEDED TO CONNECT BOSTON TO THE
[26:40] CLOUD AND OTHER CLOUD INTERNET
[26:43] .
[26:43] UM, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE A LOT
[26:46] SMARTER THAN ME ON THESE ISSUES
[26:47] AND I I'M LEARNING THEM BUT UM,
[26:49] I'VE BEEN TALKING TO SOME
[26:50] PROFESSORS FROM DIFFERENT
[26:52] COLLEGES WHO WHO REALLY ARE
[26:54] JUST TRYING TO, UM, YOU KNOW,
[26:56] TRYING TO WHILE WE'RE
[26:59] FAMILIARIZING OURSELVES WITH
[27:00] THE ZONING, UH, AMENDMENT AS
[27:01] DRAFTED.
[27:02] UM, I'M ALSO TRYING TO
[27:04] FAMILIARIZE MYSELF WITH WHAT
[27:06] ARE POTENTIALLY THE
[27:07] CAPABILITIES AND NEEDS THAT
[27:08] BOSTON MAY HAVE IN THE FUTURE.
[27:09] UM, HOW DOES BOSTON CONTRIBUTE
[27:12] TO THE OVERALL CONVERSATION
[27:13] ABOUT DATA CENTERS?
[27:14] UM, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY ANY DATA
[27:16] CENTER THAT'S BEING PROPOSED IN
[27:19] THIS IN THE NORTHEAST REGION
[27:21] ULTIMATELY WILL BENEFIT.
[27:23] LIKE WE WILL BE THE ONES USING
[27:25] THE DATA AND THAT'S THE CASE
[27:27] FOR THE HOLYOKE.
[27:28] I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE AWARE
[27:29] OF THE HOLYOKE DATA CENTER THAT
[27:31] UM IT'S ACTUALLY SUPPORTS
[27:32] RESEARCH AT THE NORTHEASTERN,
[27:35] HARVARD, UMASS, MIT AND YALE.
[27:37] UM, THAT THAT IS A WHOLE UH
[27:40] THAT IN HOLYOKE WAS A FACILITY
[27:43] THAT'S CALLED THE MASSACHUSETTS
[27:45] GREEN HIGH PERFORMANCE
[27:46] COMPUTING CENTER, WHICH IS A
[27:49] GREEN FACILITY BUT DOES USE A
[27:51] LOT OF ELECTRICITY.
[27:53] UM, THEY HAVE SINCE MOVED TO
[27:55] BANNED DATA CENTERS BUT ARE
[27:57] TALKING ABOUT YOU KNOW, THAT
[27:58] DATA CENTER IS A SUCCESS.
[28:00] UM, JUST CURIOUS CHAMP, HOW YOU
[28:04] SEE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
[28:05] BOSTON AND DATA CENTERS THAT
[28:06] ARE BUILT OUTSIDE OF THE CITY.
[28:08] UM, BECAUSE I REALLY THINK IT'S
[28:10] IMPORTANT FOR, UM, KENMORE
[28:12] SQUARE TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE
[28:14] WITH KENDALL SQUARE AND I THINK
[28:16] THAT I DO THINK MAKING SURE
[28:18] THAT WE'RE NOT SORT OF BANNING
[28:20] ROOMS OF COMPUTERS, UM, YOU
[28:22] KNOW, YOU KNOW, AND AND THINGS
[28:24] THAT WE MAY NEED TO UM I THINK
[28:26] WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE THAT
[28:28] HYPERSCALE DATA CENTERS HAVE NO
[28:29] PLACE IN BOSTON, BUT WE JUST
[28:31] WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN
[28:32] WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ZONING AND
[28:33] LAND USE, WE'RE NOT DOING
[28:34] SOMETHING THAT UNINTENTIONALLY
[28:36] ,UH, HANDICAPPED UH, HANDICAPS
[28:38] US FROM THE INNOVATION ECONOMY
[28:39] .
[28:41] ABSOLUTELY.
[28:42] UM, BOSTON IS CONSIDERED A
[28:44] LEADER IN THINKING ABOUT THIS
[28:46] THINKING ABOUT THE
[28:47] ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS WITH OUR
[28:48] INNOVATION.
[28:48] RIGHT.
[28:48] AND I ABSOLUTELY THINK THAT
[28:51] IT'S SOMETHING WHERE WE CAN
[28:52] LEAN IN AND FIND A GOOD MIDDLE
[28:54] GROUND WHERE WE'RE CREATING THE
[28:56] CAPABILITIES TO BUILD THAT
[28:58] INNOVATION AT HOME WHILE WE'RE
[29:01] COMPETING BEYOND.
[29:04] I THINK THAT THE UM, AS THE
[29:06] PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING
[29:08] INTO UPDATING THE DEFINITION
[29:09] OF WHAT A DATA CENTER SHOULD
[29:11] BE, WE COULD ALSO LOOK INTO THE
[29:14] IMPACTS AND WAYS OF MANAGING
[29:16] THEM AND UM, I I I THINK THAT
[29:21] THERE IS A WAY OF WORKING IN
[29:25] THE IDEA OF MAINTAINING ACCESS
[29:27] TO COMPUTE POWER.
[29:29] UM, AND THAT'S RELATED TO DATA
[29:31] BUT DOESN'T NECESSARILY SIGN US
[29:33] UP FOR RUNNING AI MODELS, WHICH
[29:36] IS REALLY WHERE I THINK THE
[29:37] HYPERSCALE AND THOSE
[29:39] CONVERSATIONS HAVE GONE INTO.
[29:41] I ALSO THINK THAT THIS IS AN
[29:43] OPPORTUNITY FOR US AS A CITY TO
[29:46] MODEL, UM, INNOVATIONS IN THE
[29:49] MITIGATION OF THE NEGATIVE
[29:52] IMPACTS.
[29:52] SO WHETHER IT IS ENERGY
[29:54] EFFICIENCY, WATER UH
[29:57] MANAGEMENT, UM, THESE ARE
[29:59] THINGS THAT BOSTON HAS SHOWN
[30:00] TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT HAS
[30:02] BEEN ABLE TO ACCOUNT FOR AND
[30:04] SHOW, YOU KNOW, OTHER CITIES
[30:06] AROUND THE COUNTRY AROUND THE
[30:08] WORLD THAT THERE'S WAYS
[30:09] OF DEALING WITH THOSE IMPACTS.
[30:12] UM, SO I THINK THERE'S A WAY
[30:14] OF POSITIONING DATA CENTERS
[30:15] WITHIN THE INNOVATION SIDE
[30:17] OF THE ECONOMY THAT ACCOUNTS
[30:20] FOR THE NEGATIVE BENEFITS BUT
[30:23] ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE TO BUILD
[30:25] AND.
[30:25] BUILD FOR THE FUTURE.
[30:26] YEAH.
[30:26] AND I THINK THE REASON I'M
[30:28] USING THE TERMS INFERENCE POINT
[30:29] AND COMPUTING CENTER IS WHEN
[30:31] PEOPLE HEAR THE WORD DATA
[30:32] CENTER THEY'RE THINKING OF A
[30:34] HYPERSCALE, YOU KNOW, FACILITY
[30:36] LIKE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE
[30:38] BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE
[30:39] THAT IT COULD BE BUILT.
[30:40] UM, AND AGAIN, UM, I THINK THAT
[30:44] HAVING TALKED TO SOME PEOPLE
[30:45] THAT ARE SMARTER THAN ME, UM,
[30:49] THERE WAS A SUGGESTION THAT WE
[30:50] SHOULD APPROACH UM, THIS WITH A
[30:53] THRESHOLD BASED LOCAL
[30:54] PERMITTING OPTION AND THAT
[30:56] BEING DECIDED POTENTIALLY BASED
[30:58] ON LIKE HOW MUCH WATER IS BEING
[30:59] USED OR HOW MUCH ELECTRICITY IS
[31:01] BEING USED.
[31:02] HAS THE CITY BEEN GIVING ANY
[31:04] THOUGHT TO WHAT WE ARE
[31:06] PROTECTING AGAINST WHEN WE
[31:07] THINK ABOUT WHAT FRAMEWORK WE
[31:09] WANT TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS
[31:10] PARTICULAR.
[31:10] WE'RE JUST.
[31:11] STARTING WE'RE JUST STARTING
[31:12] OUR RESEARCH ON HOW WE SHOULD
[31:14] THINK ABOUT THIS IN PARTNERSHIP
[31:15] WITH ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING.
[31:18] UM I THINK YOU'VE DONE MORE
[31:19] RESEARCH THAN WE HAVE BUT WITH
[31:21] THE GLOBAL COMPACT WE'RE USING
[31:23] THAT AS A BASIS FOR DEVELOPING
[31:25] WHAT WE THINK SHOULD BE
[31:27] BOSTON'S POSITION ON THESE
[31:29] DEFINITIONS, THE WHAT THE
[31:30] THRESHOLDS MIGHT BE AND WHERE
[31:32] THEY MIGHT BE.
[31:33] I ALSO THINK THAT THERE'S
[31:35] POTENTIAL FOR CO-LOCATION
[31:36] MEANING RIGHT NOW ONE OF THE
[31:38] DATA CENTERS IS RELATED TO UM,
[31:40] YOU KNOW, OUR
[31:41] TELECOMMUNICATIONS A VERIZON
[31:42] CENTER AND AND THERE'S ANOTHER
[31:45] DATA CENTER THAT'S ABOVE THE
[31:46] MACY'S.
[31:47] THERE ARE THERE ARE WAYS
[31:50] OF THINKING ABOUT THE WAY THAT
[31:52] WE REPURPOSE LAND UM, IN ORDER
[31:55] TO MAXIMIZE THE PERFORMANCE.
[31:57] AND THERE'S A LOT MORE TO LOOK
[31:59] INTO.
[31:59] THANK YOU.
[32:00] I JUST THINK IT'S REALLY
[32:02] IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT HAVE A
[32:03] KNEE REACTION TO SOMETHING
[32:05] THAT ACTUALLY DOESN'T IMPACT
[32:07] THE CITY OF BOSTON BECAUSE IT'S
[32:08] LIKE WHEN WE THINK ABOUT AND
[32:10] AGAIN, IT DOES IMPACT THE CITY
[32:11] OF BOSTON BECAUSE WE ARE A
[32:13] LEADER AND PEOPLE ARE LOOKING
[32:14] TO US FOR WHAT TO DO NEXT.
[32:16] BUT UM, BOSTON BENEFITS FROM
[32:19] HAVING A NUANCED CONVERSATION
[32:21] ON THIS ISSUE PROBABLY MORE
[32:22] THAN ANY OTHER CITY THAT'S
[32:23] TALKING ABOUT IT IN
[32:25] MASSACHUSETTS.
[32:25] SO I THINK IT'S JUST UM, YOU
[32:28] KNOW, I THINK IT'S JUST
[32:29] IMPORTANT TO UM AND I JUST WANT
[32:31] TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR
[32:32] BRINGING THIS PROPOSAL FORWARD
[32:34] BECAUSE IT GIVES US AN
[32:35] OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT
[32:37] THOSE THRESHOLDS ARE.
[32:38] UM, AND WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO
[32:40] PROTECT AGAINST AND WHAT
[32:41] QUALITY OF LIFE, UM, ISSUES.
[32:43] AND I WANT TO THANK THE
[32:44] ADMINISTRATION FOR SIGNING ON
[32:45] TO THE PACT BECAUSE I THINK IT
[32:47] IS AN IMPORTANT FIRST STEP TO
[32:49] ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WE DO NOT
[32:51] WANT TO HAVE THE NEGATIVE
[32:52] IMPACTS OF UM OF DATA CENTERS
[32:55] OR AI.
[32:56] BUT AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR
[32:58] TESTIMONY FROM FOLKS, UM, YOU
[33:00] KNOW, OF ALL OPINIONS ON THIS
[33:02] ISSUE AND MOSTLY WHAT WE DON'T
[33:04] WANT IS THE UN YOU KNOW, WE
[33:06] DON'T WANT TO UNNECESSARILY BE
[33:08] BANNING TECHNOLOGY FROM COMING
[33:10] TO BOSTON WHEN AGAIN, WE'RE
[33:11] TRYING TO BE A LEADER IN THE
[33:13] INNOVATION ECONOMY.
[33:14] SO UM, I WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY
[33:16] COUNCILOR BAN WEBER.
[33:17] WE'RE GOING TO HEAR NOW NEXT
[33:18] FROM COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE.
[33:22] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[33:24] MADAM CHAIR, I DO BELIEVE
[33:26] COUNCILOR FLYNN WAS HERE PRIOR
[33:27] TO ME.
[33:27] SO SORRY.
[33:28] TURN TO HIM AND THEN I WILL
[33:29] HAVE MY QUESTION.
[33:30] SO SORRY I WENT TO WERE ALL
[33:31] FIRST BECAUSE HE WAS A
[33:32] CO-SPONSOR AND THEN
[33:33] SORRY COUNCILOR FLYNN GO AHEAD
[33:35] AND THANK YOU COUNCILOR FLYNN
[33:36] FOR UNDERSTANDING.
[33:38] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[33:39] UM THANK YOU TO THE
[33:41] ADMINISTRATION TEAM THAT IS
[33:43] HERE.
[33:43] I'M ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO
[33:45] HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY
[33:48] INCLUDING MEMBERS OF, UM
[33:51] MEMBERS OF THE ORGANIZED LABOR
[33:53] THAT'S HERE WHO I HAVE GREAT
[33:55] RESPECT FOR AND COMMUNITY
[33:57] PARTNERS AS WELL.
[34:00] LET ME LET ME ASK YOU EITHER
[34:01] ONE OF YOU A QUESTION.
[34:02] HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE PROS AND
[34:07] CONS OF THE COMMUNITY
[34:09] ENGAGEMENT PROCESS?
[34:10] SAY ON ONE HAND YOU MIGHT HAVE
[34:12] THE UNIVERSITIES AND HOSPITALS
[34:17] AND ORGANIZED LABOR THAT DON'T
[34:20] WANT TO SEE THESE BANNED.
[34:22] AND THEN ON THE OTHER HAND YOU
[34:23] MIGHT HAVE COMMUNITY PARTNERS
[34:25] ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS THAT WANT
[34:27] TO SEE MORE STRICT REGULATION.
[34:29] TELL ME ABOUT THE COMMUNITY
[34:30] ENGAGEMENT PROCESS WHERE BOTH
[34:34] SIDES WILL REGARDLESS OF WHAT
[34:37] HAPPENS, FEEL LIKE THEY'VE BEEN
[34:39] HEARD AND RESPECTED EVEN IF
[34:41] THEY DON'T GET WHAT EXACTLY
[34:43] WHAT THEY WANT.
[34:45] WELL I'D SAY THIS IS A GOOD
[34:47] FORUM TO START.
[34:49] UM I.
[34:49] WOULD.
[34:50] YOU KNOW, DEFER TO YOU
[34:51] CHIEF, BUT THIS IS A RELATIVELY
[34:53] NEW INDUSTRY FOR US TO BE
[34:55] MANAGING.
[34:56] AND AT LEAST IN THE IN ITS
[34:58] CURRENT FUNCTION.
[34:59] UH, SO I THINK WE HAVE A LOT
[35:03] OF EDUCATION TO DO.
[35:04] UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST I THINK
[35:05] WE HAVE A LOT TO LEARN FROM YOU
[35:07] KNOW, THE PANELS THAT ARE
[35:08] COMING BEHIND US ABOUT HOW THEY
[35:11] ENVISION THE FUTURE OF THIS USE
[35:13] EVOLVING AND WHAT THE NEW
[35:15] TECHNOLOGY IS GOING TO BRING.
[35:16] AND THEN WE HAVE WE NEED TO
[35:18] HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE
[35:19] COMMUNITY JUST LIKE WE HAVE ON
[35:21] JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER TOPIC.
[35:23] UM WHERE DO YOU WANT TO SEE IT?
[35:25] WHAT ARE THE THRESHOLDS?
[35:28] UM WHAT ARE THE ENVIRONMENTAL
[35:30] IMPACTS ETC.?
[35:31] SO THE CITY COUNCIL IS
[35:34] PROPOSING TO YOU KNOW, TO TO
[35:38] PROHIBIT DATA CENTERS UM FOR
[35:41] FOR ZONING BUT HAS THE CITY
[35:45] DONE ANYTHING SIMILAR TO THAT?
[35:48] MAYBE NOT TO THAT EXTENT, BUT
[35:51] HAVE THEY DONE ANYTHING THAT
[35:53] LIMITS UM ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
[35:59] UM FROM COMING OR OR LIMITING
[36:03] IT IN THE ZONING PROCESS?
[36:07] I CAN'T THINK OF A I CAN'T
[36:08] THINK OF.
[36:09] A ANOTHER SITUATION IN WHICH
[36:11] WE'RE OUTRIGHT PROHIBITING
[36:12] THINGS THROUGH THE ZONING CODE.
[36:14] UM, BECAUSE THERE'S VERY THEY
[36:17] WOULD BE LEGALLY DUBIOUS TO DO
[36:18] SO.
[36:19] SO I THINK THERE ARE CERTAIN
[36:20] USES THAT WE'VE RECOGNIZED AS
[36:24] NOT CONDUCIVE TO AN URBAN
[36:26] FABRIC THAT BUT THERE THERE HAS
[36:29] TO BE SOME PATHWAY THAT YOU CAN
[36:31] GET TO THE BOARD OF PEEL ON.
[36:32] IT'S SORT OF THE LEGAL THAT'S
[36:34] WHERE THE LEGAL THRESHOLD IS.
[36:37] SO OUTRIGHT PROHIBITING IT
[36:38] GIVES US ACTUALLY LESS LESS
[36:41] OF OF LIKE LESS FLEXIBILITY
[36:43] OVERALL.
[36:44] UM IF WE CAN.
[36:46] AT THE.
[36:47] END OF THE DAY YOU HAVE TO
[36:48] PROVIDE A PATHWAY TO GET TO THE
[36:50] BOARD OF APPEAL.
[36:51] UM, IF YOU HAVE UH YOU KNOW, IF
[36:54] YOU'RE BRINGING SOMETHING I
[36:55] THINK WE'RE ALSO RELYING ON THE
[36:58] THE STATE UM, AND SOMETIMES
[37:00] EVEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR
[37:03] CERTAIN TYPES OF LAND USES THAT
[37:05] PROBABLY ARE ABOVE LOCAL
[37:06] JURISDICTION.
[37:07] SO SO IS IT ACCURATE TO SAY I
[37:09] THINK YOU MENTIONED IT BUT THE
[37:13] THIS TEXT AMENDMENT IS NOT
[37:15] SUPPORTED BY THE
[37:16] ADMINISTRATION.
[37:17] IS THAT ACCURATE TO SAY.
[37:18] YEAH THIS AT THIS TIME WE
[37:20] WOULDN'T SUPPORT IT BUT WE
[37:21] WOULD CERTAINLY WORK TO AMEND
[37:23] IT.
[37:24] AND WHAT DO YOU THINK UH IS THE
[37:26] ADMINISTRATION NOT SUPPORTING
[37:27] IT BECAUSE IT'S TOO TOO
[37:31] INCLUSIVE AND IT RESTRICTS SO
[37:33] MUCH OR IS ARE YOU THINKING
[37:36] MAYBE IF IT WAS KIND OF UM
[37:39] NARROWED DOWN UM, WHERE THERE
[37:42] WAS SOME TYPE OF COMPROMISE I
[37:44] JUST WANTED TO GET AN IDEA
[37:45] OF IS THERE A COMPROMISE TO BE
[37:47] HAD?
[37:48] UM, WITH WITH THIS DOCUMENT
[37:53] THAT THAT MAY BE WATERED DOWN
[37:55] ON MAY BE THERE MIGHT BE SOME
[37:56] COMPROMISE.
[37:57] YEAH.
[37:58] I DON'T I DON'T THINK WE
[37:59] WANT TO NECESSARILY SAY WE'RE
[38:00] WATERING DOWN ANYTHING BUT WE
[38:01] DEFINITELY NEED TO UPDATE OUR
[38:03] ZONING DEFINITIONS.
[38:04] SO I THINK THAT'S A GREAT PLACE
[38:06] TO START UM DOING THINGS LIKE
[38:09] THAT.
[38:10] UM AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
[38:12] WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION
[38:13] ON WHERE THESE SUBDISTRICTS GET
[38:16] MAPPED AT THE.
[38:17] END OF THE DAY.
[38:17] SO HOW WOULD YOU HOW WOULD YOU
[38:18] UPDATE THE ZONING REGULATIONS
[38:20] THEN HOW WOULD YOU DO THAT?
[38:22] WE WOULD WE WOULD LITERALLY
[38:23] NEED TO WRITE NEW DEFINITIONS.
[38:26] I THINK THE BOTH
[38:27] COUNCIL CULPEPER AND
[38:28] COUNCILOR WERE ALL HAVE HAVE
[38:30] ACTUALLY GIVEN US A GOOD START
[38:32] ON UM IN REFERENCE TO THEIR IN
[38:35] THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSAL.
[38:36] THEY'VE GOT SOME NEW ZONING
[38:38] DEFINITIONS THAT WE CAN REVIEW
[38:39] AND WORK WITH THEM ON.
[38:40] OH SO SO THIS THIS COULD BE A
[38:44] START IN THE PROCESS OF WRITING
[38:48] DRAFT COMMENTS ABOUT THE ZONING
[38:50] CHANGES WHETHER OR NOT YOU
[38:52] INCLUDE ALL OF IT.
[38:53] BUT THAT'S THAT'S THE START
[38:55] FROM COUNCIL IS CULPEPER AND
[38:56] WHERE ALL OF OF THE
[38:58] CONVERSATION IS THAT ACCURATE.
[38:59] OR SAYING I THINK IT'S A
[39:00] GOOD START TO THE CONVERSATION.
[39:01] OKAY.
[39:02] UM I THINK I'M OUT OF TIME
[39:03] AND I'LL BE RESPECTFUL TO MY
[39:05] COLLEAGUES.
[39:05] I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO STOP
[39:06] ASKING QUESTIONS NOW.
[39:07] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[39:09] THANK YOU SO MUCH,
[39:10] COUNCILOR FLYNN.
[39:11] COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE.
[39:12] THANK YOU.
[39:13] WE DID SOMETHING SIMILAR WITH
[39:14] BEEKEEPING WHERE THAT WAS IN
[39:15] THE ZONING CODE.
[39:16] WE DIDN'T BELIEVE IT BELONGED
[39:17] IN THE ZONING CODE.
[39:18] WE DID A ZONING AMENDMENT.
[39:19] WE HAD TO GO BEFORE THE ZONING
[39:20] COMMISSION.
[39:21] WE HAD TO CHANGE USES BECAUSE
[39:22] THERE ARE THINGS IN THE ZONING
[39:23] CODE THAT SO IT WAS A FORBIDDEN
[39:25] USE AND THEN UM FOR IN SOME
[39:27] AREAS A CONDITIONAL USE AND
[39:28] THEN WE WANTED TO MAKE IT ALL
[39:29] ABOUT USE AND THEN MADE IT AND
[39:30] WE HAD AN ORDINANCE.
[39:32] SO THERE ARE MODELS AND THERE
[39:33] ARE LOTS OF THINGS IN ZONING
[39:34] THAT WE NEED TO UPDATE.
[39:36] BUT UM I HAD A QUESTION
[39:38] REGARDING UH IT AS A AS IT
[39:42] RIGHT NOW IT'S A CONDITIONAL
[39:44] USE IN OUR ZONING CODE.
[39:46] UH THE TECHNOLOGICAL THE
[39:47] TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND DATA
[39:48] CENTERS AND UH AND THE TERM IS
[39:51] TECHNICAL TECHNOLOGICAL CENTERS
[39:53] AND DATA CENTERS.
[39:54] YEAH, THE TERM IS
[39:56] TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND DATA
[39:57] DISTRIBUTION CENTERS.
[39:59] IT IS IT IS LARGELY CONDITIONAL
[40:02] AND CITYWIDE.
[40:04] UH, WITH SOME EXCEPTIONS THERE
[40:07] ARE THREE AREAS IN WHICH IT IS
[40:09] ALLOWED TO.
[40:10] USE WHICH.
[40:11] I CAN NAME THEM FOR USE THE NEW
[40:14] MARKET IDA THE ROXBURY
[40:16] COMMUNITY COLLEGE E STREET AREA
[40:19] IN SOUTH BOSTON THAT'S THE
[40:20] LIGHT INDUSTRIAL AREA IN SOUTH
[40:22] BOSTON.
[40:22] YEAH.
[40:23] SO AGAIN SIMILAR TO
[40:24] BEEKEEPING THERE ARE AREAS LIKE
[40:25] WHICH IT'S NOT UH WHOLESALE BUT
[40:27] PROBABLY IN THOSE AREAS IF YOU
[40:28] THINK ABOUT NEW MARKET OR RCC
[40:29] THERE IS EDUCATIONAL OR UM OR
[40:33] INDUSTRY REASONS FOR WHY THEY
[40:35] WANTED TO SORT OF THEY'VE
[40:36] ADVOCATED FOR IT TO BE AN
[40:39] ALLOWABLE USE OR THAT'S YOU
[40:40] KNOW, THE CITY ALLOWED THAT TO
[40:41] BE IN A UH A USE CAN YOU CAN
[40:43] YOU IS THERE A WAY TO
[40:45] DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE DATA
[40:48] CENTERS THAT UM OR INFORMATION
[40:50] WHATEVER THE CORRECT
[40:51] TERMINOLOGY IS THE
[40:52] TELECOMMUNICATION UNDERS THAT
[40:53] WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN THE CITY
[40:56] AND THE DATA CENTERS THAT ARE
[40:58] NOW A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION
[41:01] THAT RELATED VERY MUCH SO TO
[41:03] ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
[41:04] YES.
[41:05] AND IT'S THIS CONVERSATION
[41:08] CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING BETWEEN
[41:08] THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, THE
[41:10] ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT I WOULD
[41:10] SAY INTERNALLY UM WE'RE USING
[41:12] SOME OF GOVERNOR HEALEY'S
[41:15] EXECUTIVE ORDER TO TRY TO
[41:16] FIGURE OUT WHAT THESE TYPES
[41:18] OF THRESHOLDS ARE.
[41:19] I THINK IT'S LARGELY AROUND
[41:21] POWER.
[41:23] UM, AND THEN THE IMPACTS.
[41:25] SO I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY
[41:26] WHERE WE'LL WE'LL GO THAT
[41:28] DIRECTION WHEN WE'RE UM GOING
[41:31] THROUGH WHAT DEFINITION WHICH
[41:33] DATA CENTER, WHICH TYPE OF DOES
[41:34] OR FITS IN WHICH CATEGORY.
[41:36] BUT I THINK THAT'S THE
[41:37] DIRECTION WE'D GO.
[41:39] AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT WAS THE
[41:41] BASIS OF SORT OF WHERE DID THE
[41:44] COMMONWEALTH LOOK TO WHEN
[41:45] DRAFTING THE EXECUTIVE ORDER
[41:47] THAT THAT THE GOVERNOR DRAFTED
[41:48] ?
[41:50] I ACTUALLY I DON'T KNOW THE
[41:51] BASIS OF THAT EXECUTIVE ORDER.
[41:53] OKAY.
[41:55] UM, I I KNOW THAT.
[41:57] IT.
[41:57] WELL, I I HEARD THAT A PART
[41:58] OF IT WAS FROM AN ECONOMIC
[42:00] DEVELOPMENT BILL THAT IT WAS
[42:02] LIKE A PIECE OF AN ECONOMIC
[42:03] DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS ALREADY
[42:04] DRAFTED AND THEN THAT IT WENT
[42:05] TO THE INTO THE EXECUTIVE
[42:06] ORDER.
[42:07] OKAY.
[42:08] THANK YOU.
[42:09] UM, I THINK PEOPLE ARE
[42:12] RIGHTFULLY I'M RIGHTFULLY
[42:14] WORRIED ABOUT THE ROLE THAT
[42:15] THESE DATA CENTER AI DRIVEN
[42:18] DATA CENTERS, THE ROLE THAT
[42:19] THEY WILL HAVE IN OUR
[42:21] ENVIRONMENT AND IN OUR
[42:23] ECOSYSTEM.
[42:23] UM, AND SO I WANT US TO BE VERY
[42:26] VIGILANT WHEN IT ESPECIALLY
[42:27] WHEN A LOT OF THESE TOOLS I
[42:28] MEAN UM, OTHERS LOT OF THESE
[42:29] TOOLS ARE USED TO DISCRIMINATE
[42:31] AGAINST PEOPLE WHO ARE POOR
[42:33] BECAUSE YOU CAN'T FIND
[42:34] EMPLOYMENT AGAINST PEOPLE
[42:34] OF COLOR.
[42:35] AND SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT
[42:36] OF REASONS FOR US TO BE
[42:37] SKEPTICAL ABOUT THEIR ENTRY.
[42:39] UM, I, I WONDER IF THERE ARE
[42:42] MODELS THAT OTHER CITIES HAVE
[42:43] DONE OR IF WE'VE LOOKED AT SOME
[42:44] OF THE OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE
[42:46] TO SEE IF THERE ARE OTHER
[42:47] MODELS WHO SAID THAT THIS IS A
[42:48] GOOD START.
[42:49] YOU SAID THAT THE GOVERNOR'S
[42:50] EXECUTIVE ORDER PROVIDES A
[42:52] BLUEPRINT, BUT ARE THERE CITIES
[42:53] OUT THERE THAT ARE PROVIDING A
[42:54] BLUEPRINT THAT WE'VE DONE ANY
[42:55] RESEARCH ON TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE
[42:56] DOING?
[42:57] YEAH, WE'RE DEFINITELY SO I
[43:00] THINK THIS IS MOSTLY THROUGH
[43:01] THE C40, UH, C40 WORK WHERE WE
[43:03] DEFINITELY HAVE BEEN UH,
[43:05] TALKING WITH OTHER CITIES ABOUT
[43:06] HOW THEY'RE HANDING OFF THE TOP
[43:08] OF MY HEAD.
[43:09] I THINK WE LOOKED AT SEATTLE.
[43:12] WE LOOKED AT HOW PHOENIX IS
[43:14] HANDLING IT.
[43:15] COMPLETELY DIFFERENT USE CASE
[43:16] THERE.
[43:18] UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW AROUND
[43:21] IN THE DC AREA AND VIRGINIA HOW
[43:23] THEIR THEIR APPROACH TO DATA
[43:25] CENTERS WHICH IS VERY USUALLY
[43:26] PRO DATA CENTER.
[43:28] UM, PLACES LIKE LONDON AND THE
[43:31] UNITED KINGDOM UM AND DUBLIN
[43:33] HAS UH UH THE CHAIR MENTIONED.
[43:36] SO YEAH I THINK I THINK WE'RE
[43:38] TRYING TO TAKE BITS AND PIECES
[43:40] STEALING POLICY FROM EACH AND
[43:42] EVERY ONE OF THOSE CITIES.
[43:44] AND THE CITY YOU MENTIONED A
[43:46] CITY THAT SEEMS TO BE VERY LIKE
[43:47] DC THAT SEEMS TO BE PRO DATA
[43:49] CENTER.
[43:50] DC NOT NECESSARILY BUT THE LIKE
[43:52] THE OUTSKIRTS THE.
[43:54] OUTSKIRTS YEAH.
[43:55] IN YOUR AREA.
[43:55] BECAUSE WE ALSO HEAR WE HAVE
[43:57] ISSUES WITH OUR GRID SO I
[43:58] WONDER IF IF THAT'S A
[44:00] CONSIDERATION AS WELL RIGHT.
[44:01] WE HAVE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE WE
[44:02] ARE HAVING TOUGH CONVERSATIONS
[44:04] ABOUT WHERE WE PUT IN A NEW
[44:06] SUBSTATION AND ALL OF THAT.
[44:07] SO HOW DOES THAT FACTOR INTO
[44:08] THESE CONVERSATIONS GIVEN THAT
[44:11] WE YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE EAST
[44:12] BOSTON SUBSTATION, MANY OF US
[44:13] FOUGHT AGAINST THAT.
[44:14] UM, AND AT THE SAME TIME WE
[44:16] REALIZE THAT WE HAVE ENERGY
[44:17] NEEDS THAT ARE URGENT NEEDS
[44:19] THAT ARE GROWING ACROSS THE
[44:20] CITY.
[44:20] SO JUST WANT TO.
[44:23] I THINK IT HAS TO BE PART AND
[44:24] PARCEL OF THE CONVERSATION.
[44:25] YOU CAN'T REALLY SEPARATE THE
[44:27] ENERGY CONSUMPTION FROM THE
[44:30] DEFINITION OF EVEN THE
[44:31] DEFINITION WHERE WE'RE UPDATING
[44:33] THE DEFINITION OF DATA CENTERS
[44:35] .
[44:35] IT IS REALLY ABOUT THE ENERGY
[44:36] THAT THEY'RE CONSUMING.
[44:38] UM, IN ORDER FOR US TO SIZE
[44:40] THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
[44:41] HANDLING EACH OF THE REQUESTS
[44:43] APPROPRIATELY.
[44:45] UM, I, I DO THINK THAT WHAT WE
[44:48] WANT TO DO IS MAKE SURE WE
[44:49] MAINTAIN SOME LOCAL CONTROL
[44:51] OVER WHERE THEY GO AND ARE
[44:53] CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR
[44:55] COMMUNITY INPUT TO BE PART
[44:57] OF THAT PROCESS.
[44:58] YEAH.
[44:58] WHICH IS WHY THE CONDITIONAL
[44:59] USE IS AN IMPORTANT PART
[45:00] OF SORT OF THE CURRENT ZONING
[45:01] THAT YEAH YEAH OKAY.
[45:03] THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS.
[45:04] THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.
[45:05] THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[45:06] UM AND JUST TAKING A LITTLE BIT
[45:08] OF MY PRIVILEGE AS THE CHAIR
[45:09] UM, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE, UH
[45:12] THAT CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE
[45:15] HAVING BE REALLY NUANCED
[45:17] BECAUSE WE'RE ESSENTIALLY UM,
[45:20] ESSENTIALLY RIGHT NOW THERE'S
[45:23] NO HYPERSCALE DATA CENTERS THAT
[45:24] ARE PROPOSED AND THERE'S NOT NO
[45:26] PERSON WHO WOULD WANT TO SPEND
[45:28] NO NO NO COMPANY THAT WOULD
[45:30] WANT TO SPEND THAT MUCH ON LAND
[45:33] AND THAT MUCH ON CONSTRUCTION
[45:34] IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.
[45:35] WE'RE NOT EVEN YOU KNOW WHAT I
[45:36] MEAN?
[45:37] THERE'S A BUNCH OF PROJECTS
[45:38] THAT EVERYONE WANTS THAT WE
[45:39] CAN'T GET OFF THE GROUND RIGHT
[45:40] NOW.
[45:41] SO UM SO THOUGH THIS IS AN
[45:42] IMPORTANT CONVERSATION TO HAVE
[45:45] IT IT IT REALLY IS ABOUT WHAT
[45:48] USES EXIST.
[45:50] UM, AND I JUST THINK IT'S
[45:51] IMPORTANT THAT UM, WHATEVER WE
[45:55] DO HERE IS GOING TO IMPACT THE
[45:56] DATA CENTERS THAT CURRENTLY
[45:57] EXIST IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.
[45:59] IT MIGHT NOT IMPACT THEM
[46:00] BECAUSE THEY'RE PREEXISTING
[46:02] NON-CONFORMING, BUT IT MAY END
[46:04] UP IMPACTING THEM WHEN THEY
[46:05] WANT TO COME IN TO CHANGE
[46:06] SOMETHING ABOUT THE PROJECT
[46:08] THAT THEY CURRENTLY HAVE TO
[46:09] MAKE IT MORE GREEN.
[46:11] AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
[46:12] THAT WHATEVER WE DO IS ALLOWING
[46:14] PEOPLE TO CHANGE THEIR CURRENT
[46:18] INTO LIKE FOR INSTANCE THE DATA
[46:20] CENTER ABOVE THE MACY'S THAT WE
[46:21] ARE ABLE TO MAKE THAT DATA
[46:23] CENTER MORE GREEN WHEN THAT
[46:24] TIME COMES WHEN THEY'RE ABLE TO
[46:26] DO THAT WORK.
[46:27] SO UM SO NEXT WE'LL HEAR FROM
[46:29] COUNCILOR WEBER.
[46:30] UM, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE
[46:32] NEXT PANEL AFTER THAT EXCEPT
[46:33] FOR WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW A
[46:34] COUPLE QUESTIONS FROM THE LEAD
[46:36] SPONSOR.
[46:36] UM ADDITIONALLY GO AHEAD,
[46:38] COUNCILOR WEBER OKAY.
[46:39] UH THANKS.
[46:40] UH, YEAH.
[46:40] JUST FOLLOWING UP ON THAT LAST
[46:41] POINT FOR UH, JEFF.
[46:45] TO YOU KNOW, IF IF WE WERE
[46:46] GOING TO REGULATE.
[46:47] DATA CENTERS, IS THERE
[46:48] SOMETHING AND CAN WE IS A
[46:50] ZONING CODE A GOOD TOOL.
[46:52] TO REQUIRE.
[46:52] ENERGY EFFICIENT, YOU KNOW,
[46:54] SORT OF GREEN UH, TECHNOLOGY OR
[46:57] GREEN, YOU KNOW, ENERGY SOURCES
[47:00] WITH THAT?
[47:00] UH.
[47:02] WE'VE CERTAINLY DONE SOME
[47:03] OF THAT THROUGH THE ZONING
[47:04] CODE.
[47:04] I WOULD SAY THAT THE
[47:07] DEFINITIONS ARE WHAT MATTERS UH
[47:09] ,IN TERMS OF LIKE FIRST AND
[47:11] FOREMOST.
[47:12] SO FIGURING OUT WHAT CATEGORIES
[47:15] OF DATA CENTERS WE'RE TALKING
[47:16] ABOUT AND WHERE THEY'RE ALLOWED
[47:18] WHERE THEY MIGHT BE CONDITIONAL
[47:19] ,WHERE THEY MIGHT BE FORBIDDEN
[47:22] IS AND THAT'S PROBABLY BASED
[47:23] OFF OF YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH
[47:26] OUTPUT THERE THAT THEY REQUIRE
[47:28] .
[47:29] UM AND SO FROM WHAT YOU KNOW
[47:31] ABOUT THE PROJECTS IN GENERAL
[47:33] AND PLANNING IN THE CITY LIKE
[47:34] WE'RE NOT EXPECTING TO SEE A
[47:37] PROPOSAL FOR LIKE ONE OF THE
[47:38] HYPER SCALE, UH, DATA CENTERS
[47:42] HERE.
[47:42] I'M I'M I'M DEFINITELY NOT
[47:44] EXPECTING THAT UH, GIVEN OUR
[47:46] LAND VALUES.
[47:48] AND I GUESS, YOU KNOW, EVEN SO,
[47:49] OTHER CITIES LIKE WE HEAR ABOUT
[47:50] LIKE PHOENIX, ARIZONA I MEAN,
[47:53] I, I ALMOST LIKE YOU KNOW, NOT
[47:55] ALL CITIES ARE THE SAME AND I
[47:57] FEEL LIKE THERE'S LOTS OF LAND
[47:59] .
[47:59] IS THERE SOMETHING ABOUT BOSTON
[48:00] SPECIFICALLY THAT YOU WOULDN'T
[48:02] EXPECT US TO SEE IT HERE?
[48:03] BUT YOU KNOW.
[48:06] I JUST THINK WE HAVE A LIMITED
[48:08] AMOUNT OF INDUSTRIAL LAND IN
[48:09] THE CITY.
[48:10] UM, IT'S A DENSELY POPULATED
[48:13] AREA AND AND AGAIN THE LAND
[48:16] VALUES ARE SUPER HIGH.
[48:18] SO UH, TO.
[48:20] TO UH BASICALLY GET ALL OF THAT
[48:23] LAND WOULD REQUIRE QUITE A LOT.
[48:26] OKAY.
[48:26] AND IS THERE SOMETHING ABOUT
[48:28] PROXIMITY TO THESE DATA CENTERS
[48:30] THAT'S HELPFUL?
[48:31] I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE
[48:33] IF THEY BUILD SOMETHING IN
[48:36] NEBRASKA LIKE THAT WE COULD
[48:37] BENEFIT FROM THAT.
[48:39] I JUST DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW
[48:41] UM, YOU KNOW, WOULD A COMPANY
[48:43] WANT TO BUILD ONE?
[48:44] I THINK.
[48:46] IT IT HELPS IT HELPS A BIT BUT
[48:49] UM, FOR EXAMPLE SOME OF OUR OUR
[48:51] CLOUD INFRASTRUCTURE IS IN A
[48:54] CENTER IN NEW JERSEY.
[48:55] UM, SO IT IT HELPS A BIT AND
[48:58] YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANT TO YOU
[49:00] DON'T WANT TO BE POWERING YOUR
[49:02] CLOUD FROM THE WEST COAST IF
[49:04] YOU'RE ON THE EAST COAST.
[49:06] BUT UM THERE IS NOW WAYS
[49:10] OF MOVING THAT ACCESS ALONG.
[49:14] UM AND DO YOU THINK IF WE DON'T
[49:16] HAVE DATA CENTERS HERE LIKE
[49:17] WOULD THAT INFLUENCE COMPANIES
[49:21] WANTING TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE
[49:22] THEIR SORT OF HEADQUARTERS
[49:24] HERE?
[49:25] YOU KNOW WE'RE SEEING I THINK
[49:27] AMAZON YOU KNOW, ISN'T USING
[49:28] ALL THE SPACE THAT THEY WERE
[49:30] ORIGINALLY GOING TO USE.
[49:32] UH IS THAT EASY TO DO WITH
[49:34] ACCESS TO THE DATA CENTERS OR
[49:37] DATA CENTERS?
[49:40] I HONESTLY I HAVEN'T I HAVEN'T
[49:41] HEARD THAT I THINK THAT IN THE
[49:43] UPDATE OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING
[49:45] ABOUT NOW SO BEYOND THE
[49:46] HYPERSCALE 100 MEGAWATT TYPE
[49:50] OF INFRASTRUCTURE UM THE WAY
[49:53] WHAT WE HOW WE DEFINE THE ONE
[49:56] THE THE DATA CENTERS THAT ARE
[49:58] FOR, YOU KNOW, INSTITUTIONAL
[49:59] USE OR UM, SOME OF THE
[50:03] INNOVATION IN THE ECONOMY TYPE
[50:05] OF COMPANIES WILL WILL MATTER.
[50:06] BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THIS HAS
[50:08] BEEN AN INHIBITOR IN ANY WAY
[50:10] THAT THERE'S ENOUGH ACCESS TO
[50:12] REGIONAL DATA CENTERS, UM ALONG
[50:14] THE EAST COAST ANYWAY OR THE
[50:16] MIDWEST THAT IS SUFFICIENT TO
[50:20] POWER OUR COMPANIES TO OKAY.
[50:22] AND I GUESS SO VIRGINIA AS WE
[50:24] TALKED ABOUT HAS THE THE MOST
[50:26] DATA CENTERS IN THE COUNTRY.
[50:28] UH AND DO YOU KNOW WHY THAT IS.
[50:32] THEY MIGHT I TO BE I DON'T I I
[50:35] DON'T KNOW FOR SURE MY GUESS IS
[50:37] THERE'S A FEW THERE'S A
[50:39] DEVELOPER OF LAND THAT IT'S NOT
[50:41] TOO EXPENSIVE AND THEY HAVE
[50:44] POLICIES THAT ARE MORE
[50:45] CONDUCIVE UM IT DOESN'T IT HAS
[50:49] GENERALLY IT HAS TENDED TO REST
[50:52] LESS ON ENERGY BECAUSE THEY
[50:55] WILL THEY WILL COME UP WITH
[50:57] THAT ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE UM
[50:59] MAYBE AT THE COST OF THE
[51:01] COMMUNITY.
[51:01] OKAY.
[51:02] AND THEN I GUESS THAT SORT
[51:03] OF YOU KNOW, I THINK
[51:05] UNDERSTANDING THE NEGATIVE
[51:06] IMPACTS UH OF THE OF THE DATA
[51:09] CENTERS UM, IF WE DON'T HAVE
[51:11] ONE IN BOSTON THAT I THINK THAT
[51:14] THAT'S WE ALL AGREED WE DON'T
[51:15] WANT TO SEE IT HERE BUT IF IT'S
[51:17] JUST OUTSIDE IT'S GOING TO HAVE
[51:18] THE SAME IMPACT.
[51:19] SO WHAT IS THE STATE HOW'S THE
[51:20] STATE DOING IN TERMS
[51:22] OF REGULATING THAT.
[51:23] AND YOU KNOW WHAT DO YOU THINK
[51:25] WE COULD DO TO.
[51:28] UH WELL THERE'S A I THINK
[51:29] THERE'S A MORATORIUM ON THEM
[51:30] RIGHT NOW.
[51:32] UM UNTIL I THINK FURTHER
[51:35] CONVERSATION BUT THERE'S A YEAR
[51:37] MORATORIUM ON THEM.
[51:38] I BELIEVE.
[51:39] I SO I'LL JUST SAY THAT THE
[51:41] GOVERNOR HAS DONE AN EXECUTIVE
[51:43] ORDER PUSHING IT TO LOCAL
[51:45] CONTROL, WHICH IS.
[51:46] WELL.
[51:47] KIND OF WHY WE'RE HAVING
[51:48] THIS CONVERSATION AS A CITY.
[51:50] UM, BUT I ALSO THINK IT'S
[51:51] REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT
[51:53] WE DO UM, COUNCILOR WEBER HAVE
[51:55] SOME DATA CENTERS THAT EXIST
[51:56] WITHIN THE CITY OF BOSTON.
[51:57] UM, SO IT'S NOT THAT WE WON'T
[52:00] OR DON'T HAVE ANY DATA CENTERS,
[52:01] IT'S THAT THEY'RE PROBABLY JUST
[52:03] NOT WHAT YOU'RE IMAGINING AND.
[52:04] I'M REFERRING TO THE HYPER.
[52:06] YEAH.
[52:06] I THINK.
[52:07] YOU KNOW, UH UH AND SO IT'S
[52:10] GOING TO BE LEFT TO LOCAL
[52:11] CONTROL BUT I MEAN I GUESS JUST
[52:14] AS A FOLLOW UP ANY ANY
[52:15] SUGGESTIONS FOR ADVOCACY AT THE
[52:16] STATE LEVEL?
[52:18] UH.
[52:21] I DON'T KNOW I.
[52:26] I MEAN FROM FROM WHERE WE ARE
[52:28] AS YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE SORT
[52:29] OF BEGINNING TO FIGURE THIS
[52:31] OUT.
[52:31] I THINK IT'S A RELATIVELY NEW I
[52:35] MEAN, HYPERSCALERS HAVE ONLY
[52:37] COME INTO THE LEXICON
[52:40] RELATIVELY RECENTLY.
[52:40] SO I THINK WE'RE ALL IN THE
[52:42] SAME SORT OF POSITION WHERE
[52:43] WE'RE UM, MAYBE IN A LITTLE BIT
[52:46] OF A REACTIVE STANCE.
[52:47] BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE
[52:48] THINKING ABOUT THIS STUFF AND I
[52:49] THINK UH, AS THE CITY OF BOSTON
[52:52] WE FEEL PRETTY COMFORTABLE
[52:54] ABOUT THE CURRENT REGULATORY
[52:56] TOOLS THAT WE HAVE TO.
[52:58] TO POTENTIALLY HAVE TO NAVIGATE
[53:02] UH, SOMEBODY THAT'S EITHER
[53:03] PROPOSING ONE OR AND I THINK
[53:05] THE STATE FEELS SIMILARLY ABOUT
[53:07] WHAT THEY HAVE.
[53:08] UM, IT'S IT WAS PROPOSED IN YOU
[53:11] KNOW, IN THE GREATER BOSTON
[53:12] AREA.
[53:13] UM.
[53:14] I MEAN ONE THING I WOULD ADD
[53:15] IS THAT POWER IS EXPENSIVE
[53:17] AROUND HERE.
[53:18] UM, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY
[53:21] GREAT FOR RUNNING A HYPERSCALER
[53:22] DATA CENTER.
[53:24] THE ONLY OTHER THING I WAS
[53:25] GOING TO ADD IS BECAUSE WE IT
[53:28] IS IT HAS BEEN PUSHED TO LOCAL
[53:29] AUTHORITY.
[53:29] THE WORK THAT WE'RE TRYING TO
[53:31] STAND UP NOW IS TO APPLY SOME
[53:33] OF THE BEST PRACTICES FROM
[53:34] THESE OTHER PLACES AND MAKE
[53:37] SURE THAT THEY REFLECT BOSTON
[53:38] GOALS BOSTON PLANS UM, THIS
[53:42] ZONING EFFORT.
[53:44] UM, SO THERE'S THERE'S QUITE A
[53:46] FEW THINGS THAT WE HAVE
[53:47] UNDERWAY THAT TO JEFF'S POINT,
[53:49] WE HAVE SOME REGULATORY
[53:50] STRUCTURE IN PLACE ALREADY THAT
[53:52] IMPLIES A CERTAIN KIND OF UM,
[53:55] AUTHORITY OVER THE OVER THE
[53:57] DATA CENTERS THAT WOULD COME
[53:58] IN.
[53:59] OKAY.
[54:00] YEAH.
[54:00] THANK YOU.
[54:00] CHAIR.
[54:01] THANK YOU SO MUCH,
[54:01] COUNCILOR WEBER.
[54:02] UM, AS, UM, COUNCILOR CULPEPPER
[54:05] IS THE LEAD SPONSOR, I WANTED
[54:06] TO GIVE HIM AN ADDITIONAL THREE
[54:07] MINUTES.
[54:08] HE HAD A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS
[54:09] AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO
[54:10] THE NEXT PANEL.
[54:11] UM, JUST THERE IS GOING TO BE
[54:13] TWO TESTIMONY.
[54:15] UM, MY TWO PIECES TWO PEOPLE
[54:17] ARE GOING TO TESTIFY IN BETWEEN
[54:18] THE SECOND AND THIRD PANEL.
[54:20] SO SAM CAHILL, YOU'LL BE THE
[54:21] FIRST PERSON TO TESTIFY.
[54:23] UM, COUNCILOR CULPEPPER, YOU
[54:24] HAVE THE FLOOR.
[54:25] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[54:26] UH, JUST HAD A COUPLE
[54:28] OF QUESTIONS.
[54:29] ONE OF THEM HAD THAT HAD TO DO
[54:30] WITH THE C40 PACK AND THE CITY
[54:33] 40 PACKS.
[54:34] AS WE'RE ESTABLISHING THE
[54:36] GLOBAL CITY VISION FOR THE
[54:37] SECTOR THROUGH FOUR KEY PILLARS
[54:41] SETTING A CLEAR STANDARD FOR
[54:43] SUSTAINABLE URBAN DATA CENTERS
[54:45] GROUNDED IN EQUITY AND
[54:47] COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT MEET
[54:49] LOCAL RESIDENTS NEEDS.
[54:51] HOW ARE YOU ENGAGING THE LOCAL
[54:54] COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO
[54:56] UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LOCAL
[54:58] RESIDENTS NEEDS ARE?
[55:00] UM, WELL, PLANNING HAS A
[55:03] PLAYBOOK.
[55:03] I THINK THIS IS YOU KNOW, THESE
[55:05] DATA CENTERS IF THEY WERE
[55:07] COMPLETELY NEW AND NOT UM,
[55:09] DOUBLE YOU KNOW, REPURPOSE OR
[55:11] DOUBLE CO-LOCATED WOULD BE A
[55:14] BIG PIECE OF WOULD BE ANOTHER
[55:15] BIG BUILDING OR SOME KIND
[55:17] OF NEW CONSTRUCTION.
[55:19] AND WE HAVE A PROCESS NOW WHERE
[55:22] WE HAVE A WE HAVE A COMMUNITY
[55:25] ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
[55:27] WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT
[55:28] COMMUNITY BENEFITS, UM TO
[55:31] REFLECT WHAT THE IMMEDIATELY
[55:33] SURROUNDING COMMUNITY NEEDS AS
[55:34] WELL AS THE WIDER CITY.
[55:36] AND I ALSO BELIEVE THIS IS A
[55:38] VERY, VERY NEW TOPIC.
[55:39] THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS WITH
[55:43] RESEARCHERS AND EVEN THE UM I
[55:47] IT'S A FRONTIER COMPANY.
[55:48] SO LIKE THE ANTHROPIC THE UM
[55:51] THE UM OPEN THE EYES ON HOW TO
[55:54] ACCOUNT FOR THE UM THE HOW TO
[55:59] MITIGATE THE IMPACT ON
[56:01] COMMUNITIES RECOGNIZING THAT
[56:01] THERE IS THAT IMPACT.
[56:02] AND SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE
[56:04] UNDER WAY AND WHAT WE ARE
[56:07] TRYING TO DO WITH THESE RE
[56:08] DEFINITIONS IS TO MAKE SURE
[56:09] THAT WE'RE READY FOR THEM.
[56:10] JUST A YES OR NO ANSWER.
[56:11] WHAT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY?
[56:13] HAVE YOU GONE TO THE COMMUNITY
[56:14] YET TO BEGIN THOSE DISCUSSIONS
[56:16] WITH THE COMMUNITIES?
[56:18] WELL THERE'S NO CURRENT
[56:19] PROPOSAL.
[56:20] SO WHAT SHE'S SAYING IS THAT
[56:21] WHAT HAPPENED.
[56:22] AFTER I UNDERSTAND BUT I'M
[56:23] LOOKING AT IT FROM THE C40
[56:25] PERSPECTIVE.
[56:26] WE'RE A MEMBER OF THAT.
[56:27] I'M JUST ASKING YOU AS A RESULT
[56:30] OF WHAT C40 SAID, SO HAVE WE
[56:32] STARTED THOSE DISCUSSIONS WITH
[56:33] THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT THEIR
[56:35] NEEDS ARE AND WHAT THE
[56:37] COMMUNITY BENEFITS ARE?
[56:38] WE HAVE NOT STARTED THOSE
[56:40] DISCUSSIONS.
[56:41] OKAY.
[56:42] THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD HAD
[56:44] TO DO WITH THE FRANCHISE
[56:46] LICENSE IS THAT YOU SAID YOU
[56:47] HAVE WITH OTHER BUSINESSES.
[56:49] WHAT ARE THOSE OTHER BUSINESSES
[56:50] THAT WE HAVE FRANCHISE LICENSES
[56:52] WITH?
[56:53] THE ONE THE MODEL.
[56:54] I WAS REFERRING TO IS WITH
[56:56] OUR TELECOMMUNICATIONS, UM, WE
[56:58] HAVE A FRANCHISE WITH VERIZON
[57:01] AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE
[57:03] INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
[57:04] HAPPY TO SEND THEM ALONG.
[57:05] I'M NOT THE EXPERT ON THAT.
[57:07] IS ARISING THE ONLY BUSINESS.
[57:09] THAT'S THE ONE I'M AWARE OF.
[57:10] OKAY.
[57:11] IF THERE ARE OTHERS CAN YOU
[57:12] LET US KNOW THROUGH THE COURSE?
[57:14] AND MY FINAL QUESTION WAS FOR
[57:16] JEFF.
[57:16] JEFF, WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT
[57:18] THOSE THREE AREAS WHERE UH
[57:21] THEIR ALLOWABLE USE I WASN'T IT
[57:24] WASN'T CLEAR TO ME.
[57:25] WHAT THE ALLOWABLE USE HIS
[57:26] WORTH FOR THOSE THREE AREAS
[57:28] THAT ROXBURY, SOUTH BOSTON AND
[57:30] NEW MARKET AREA.
[57:32] THAT IS JUST THE THOSE ARE JUST
[57:34] THE AREAS THAT ARE THAT
[57:37] TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND DATA
[57:38] CENTER DISTRIBUTION ARE ALL OWN
[57:40] .
[57:40] HOW DO.
[57:41] YOU READ THE AREAS OR THE
[57:42] ZONING CODE AREAS?
[57:46] YEAH.
[57:46] SO IT'S THE NEW MARKET IDA
[57:48] THIS EXCLUDING THE CORE
[57:51] INDUSTRIAL GATEWAY INDUSTRIAL
[57:51] AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIAL
[57:53] SUBDISTRICT.
[57:54] SO IT'S UH.
[57:54] SAY THAT AGAIN.
[57:56] NEW MARKET IDEA.
[57:57] AND EXCLUDING WHAT.
[57:59] I CAN GET ALL OF THIS TO YOU ON
[58:01] THE RHETORIC FOR SURE.
[58:02] UH, BUT YES, IT'S EXCLUDING
[58:04] CORE INDUSTRIAL GATEWAY
[58:06] INDUSTRIAL AND CREATIVE
[58:07] INDUSTRIAL SUBDISTRICTS.
[58:09] UM, THEN THERE'S ONE IN THE
[58:11] ROXBURY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
[58:12] SUBDISTRICT.
[58:13] IT'S AN ALLOWED USE.
[58:14] WE ACTUALLY I BELIEVE THE
[58:16] BACKSTORY ON THAT IS THAT THEY
[58:17] WERE APPLYING FOR A GRANT AND
[58:20] WE WANTED AS A CITY TO SHOW
[58:21] SUPPORT FOR, YOU KNOW, THE
[58:24] DEVELOPMENT OF SOME TECHNICAL
[58:25] LOGICAL EDUCATION INNOVATION,
[58:28] UH, STUFF.
[58:29] I DON'T THINK THEY ENDED UP
[58:30] ACTUALLY BUILDING WHAT THEY
[58:31] WERE HOPING TO BUILD.
[58:33] UM, AND THEN THE FINAL ONE IS
[58:35] THE E STREET AREA IN SOUTH
[58:36] BOSTON, WHICH IS THE LIGHT
[58:37] INDUSTRIAL SUB DISTRICT IN
[58:39] SOUTH BOSTON.
[58:40] THANKS.
[58:40] YEAH.
[58:41] AND I'M LOOKING FOR YOU TO
[58:42] PROVIDE ALL THE STUFF WHEN YOU
[58:44] GET A CHANCE IF YOU WOULD, UM,
[58:46] PROVIDE ALL THAT STUFF SO WE
[58:47] COULD TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND
[58:48] THEN SIT DOWN, DISCUSS IT.
[58:50] THANK YOU.
[58:50] SO HAPPY TO DO SO.
[58:51] THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CULPEPER.
[58:53] UM, AND THANK YOU TO OUR
[58:55] ESTEEMED PANEL.
[58:55] YOU ARE RELIEVED WE'RE GOING TO
[58:58] MOVE TO UM TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY
[59:00] AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO.
[59:02] UM, IF IF THOSE THAT ARE ON THE
[59:03] SECOND PANEL COULD GO AHEAD AND
[59:05] COME DOWN.
[59:06] UM AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO
[59:07] TO SAM CAHILL AND DAN DALEY FOR
[59:10] TESTIMONY AND FOR TESTIMONY YOU
[59:13] CAN STAND AT EITHER OF THESE
[59:15] TWO MICROPHONES.
[59:22] YEAH.
[59:25] I THINK THERE MIGHT BE A
[59:26] SECOND.
[59:26] PITCH LIKE.
[59:26] I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IT?
[59:29] SAM I'LL ASK YOU TO GO ONCE
[59:32] THEY'RE ALL SEATED OKAY.
[59:32] OKAY.
[59:40] PERFECT.
[59:40] SAM, YOU CAN GO AHEAD.
[59:42] GREAT.
[59:42] GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR DURKAN
[59:43] AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
[59:45] MY NAME IS SAM CAHILL AND I AM
[59:46] HERE ON BEHALF OF ALONG WITH
[59:47] COLLECTIVE AND OUR HEALTH CARE,
[59:49] HIGHER EDUCATION AND CULTURAL
[59:50] MEMBER INSTITUTIONS IN THE
[59:51] LONGWOOD MEDICAL AND ACADEMIC
[59:53] AREA.
[59:53] THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
[59:55] TO COMMENT ON DOCKET 1718.
[59:57] WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE
[59:58] COUNCIL IS GRAPPLING WITH
[59:59] IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ABOUT LAND
[1:00:00] USE, INFRASTRUCTURE AND
[1:00:01] BOSTON'S LONG TERM GROWTH ALONG
[1:00:03] WITH COLLECTIVE IS NOT HERE
[1:00:04] TODAY TO TAKE A POSITION ON THE
[1:00:05] BROADER POLICY CONVERSATIONS
[1:00:07] AROUND DATA CENTERS.
[1:00:08] RATHER, WE'RE HERE TO TALK
[1:00:09] ABOUT A TECHNICAL ASPECT
[1:00:10] OF THIS PROPOSAL BECAUSE WE
[1:00:12] HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE
[1:00:12] POTENTIAL UNINTENDED
[1:00:14] CONSEQUENCES OF THE PETITION AS
[1:00:15] CURRENTLY DRAFTED.
[1:00:17] WE APPRECIATE THE EFFORT
[1:00:18] REFLECTED IN THE AMENDMENT TO
[1:00:19] DISTINGUISH DATA CENTERS FROM
[1:00:20] RESEARCH LABORATORIES AND
[1:00:22] EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES BECAUSE
[1:00:24] WE BELIEVE THAT DISTINCTION IS
[1:00:25] IMPORTANT WHEN MANY PEOPLE
[1:00:27] THINK ABOUT DATA CENTERS,
[1:00:28] THEY'RE UNDERSTANDABLY THINKING
[1:00:29] ABOUT A PARTICULAR TYPE
[1:00:30] OF STANDALONE HYPERSCALE
[1:00:31] FACILITY.
[1:00:33] HOSPITALS, UNIVERSITIES AND
[1:00:34] RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, HOWEVER,
[1:00:37] INCREASINGLY RELY ON
[1:00:38] SOPHISTICATED COMPUTING
[1:00:40] INFRASTRUCTURE AS PART OF THEIR
[1:00:41] HEALTH CARE, EDUCATIONAL
[1:00:42] RESEARCH AND OPERATIONAL
[1:00:43] MISSIONS.
[1:00:44] DESPITE THESE DISTINCTIONS, WE
[1:00:46] REMAIN CONCERNED THAT THE
[1:00:47] PROPOSAL IS STILL BROAD ENOUGH
[1:00:48] TO CREATE UNCERTAINTY REGARDING
[1:00:50] THE COMPUTING INFRASTRUCTURE
[1:00:52] UPON WHICH OUR INSTITUTIONS
[1:00:53] RELY, INCLUDING SYSTEMS THAT
[1:00:55] SUPPORT PATIENT CARE,
[1:00:57] SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, MEDICAL
[1:00:58] AND EXCUSE ME MEDICAL EDUCATION
[1:01:01] AND INSTITUTIONAL OPERATIONS AS
[1:01:03] WELL AS THOSE THAT RELY ON
[1:01:04] NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE AND
[1:01:05] THIRD PARTY HOSTING OR
[1:01:06] CO-LOCATION ARRANGEMENTS.
[1:01:09] FOR THAT REASON, BEFORE THE
[1:01:11] COUNCIL CONSIDERS ADVANCING
[1:01:12] THIS PROPOSAL, WE RESPECTFULLY
[1:01:13] REQUEST THAT ANY AMENDMENT
[1:01:15] CLEARLY EXCLUDE HEALTH CARE,
[1:01:16] ACADEMIC RESEARCH, CLINICAL AND
[1:01:18] INSTITUTIONAL COMPUTING
[1:01:20] INFRASTRUCTURE.
[1:01:21] AS TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO
[1:01:22] EVOLVE, THESE CAPABILITIES WILL
[1:01:24] BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT
[1:01:26] TO WORK TO THE WORK THAT OUR
[1:01:27] INSTITUTIONS DO EVERY DAY.
[1:01:29] WE BELIEVE ANY ZONING AMENDMENT
[1:01:30] SHOULD BE DRAFTED CAREFULLY
[1:01:31] ENOUGH TO ENSURE THAT
[1:01:32] INSTITUTIONAL COMPUTING
[1:01:34] FUNCTIONS AND THE ACTIVITIES
[1:01:35] THEY SUPPORT ARE NOT
[1:01:36] INADVERTENTLY AFFECTED BY
[1:01:38] DEFINITIONS INTENDED TO ADDRESS
[1:01:40] A DIFFERENT CATEGORY OF USE.
[1:01:42] THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND
[1:01:43] CONSIDERATION ALONG WITH
[1:01:44] COLLECTIVE STANDS READY TO
[1:01:45] SERVE AS A RESOURCE AS THESE
[1:01:47] DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE.
[1:01:48] OKAY THANK YOU SO MUCH SAM.
[1:01:51] UM, DAN DALEY, YOU HAVE TWO
[1:01:53] MINUTES.
[1:01:54] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[1:01:55] AND UH, THANK YOU MY BOSTON
[1:01:56] CITY COUNCILORS FOR THE
[1:01:58] OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
[1:01:59] MY NAME IS DANIEL DALEY.
[1:02:00] I'M A LIFELONG BOSTON RESIDENT
[1:02:01] AND I'M A BUSINESS
[1:02:03] REPRESENTATIVE FOR LOCAL 103
[1:02:04] WITH THE ELECTRICIANS UNION.
[1:02:06] AND UH, MY BIGGEST CONCERN WITH
[1:02:08] THIS PROPOSAL IS THE POTENTIAL
[1:02:10] IMPACT ON WORKING FAMILIES AND
[1:02:11] THE FUTURE JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN
[1:02:13] BOSTON, THOUSANDS OF LOCAL ONE
[1:02:15] AND THREE MEMBERS OF BOSTON
[1:02:17] RESIDENTS THEY'RE RAISING
[1:02:18] FAMILIES HERE.
[1:02:19] THE, UM THE BUYING HOMES HERE
[1:02:21] AND PAYING RENT AND MOST
[1:02:23] IMPORTANTLY SUPPORTING SMALL
[1:02:24] BUSINESSES.
[1:02:25] WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO
[1:02:26] MAKE SURE THESE OPPORTUNITIES
[1:02:28] REMAIN AVAILABLE FOR THE NEXT
[1:02:30] GENERATION OF LABOR.
[1:02:32] I BELIEVE THERE'S A DIFFERENCE
[1:02:33] BETWEEN RESPONSIBLY REGULATING
[1:02:35] DEVELOPMENT AND CREATING
[1:02:37] BARRIERS THAT COULD DISCOURAGE
[1:02:38] ENTIRE CATEGORY OF PROJECTS
[1:02:40] BEFORE THEY EVEN EVALUATED
[1:02:43] INDIVIDUALLY.
[1:02:45] TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO IMPROVE
[1:02:47] OUR OUR ELECTRICIANS ARE
[1:02:49] INSTALLING ADVANCED ELECTRICAL
[1:02:50] SYSTEMS THAT MAKE FACILITIES
[1:02:51] MORE EFFICIENT AND SUSTAINABLE
[1:02:53] .
[1:02:54] WE SHOULD ENCOURAGE THAT
[1:02:55] INNOVATION WHILE DEMANDING HIGH
[1:02:56] STANDARDS.
[1:02:58] WE NEED A FAIR REVIEW PROCESS
[1:02:59] IF A PROJECT ISN'T RIGHT FOR
[1:03:01] BOSTON, THE CITY SHOULD HAVE
[1:03:02] THE ABILITY TO REJECT IT.
[1:03:04] BUT IF A PROJECT MEETS
[1:03:05] ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS AND
[1:03:06] BENEFITS OUR COMMUNITY AND
[1:03:08] CREATES GOOD UNION JOBS, IT
[1:03:10] DESERVES A FAIR OPPORTUNITY AND
[1:03:12] SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.
[1:03:13] I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT
[1:03:15] DISCOURAGING PRIVATE INVESTMENT
[1:03:16] AT A TIME WHEN WE NEED TO
[1:03:18] CONTINUE CREATING JOB
[1:03:20] OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOSTON
[1:03:21] RESIDENTS.
[1:03:21] WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR A FREE
[1:03:22] PASS ON DEVELOPERS.
[1:03:24] WE'RE ASKING FOR A FAIR PROCESS
[1:03:25] THAT PROTECTS OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
[1:03:27] WITHOUT UNNECESSARILY LIMITING
[1:03:30] OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORKING
[1:03:31] FAMILIES.
[1:03:32] WE NEED PLANS, NOT BANDS.
[1:03:34] AND I APPRECIATE, UH, YOU
[1:03:36] MAKING SURE WE'RE PART OF THIS
[1:03:37] CONVERSATION AND I HOPE SOME
[1:03:39] OF THESE POINTS CAN BE
[1:03:40] INCORPORATED IN THE TESTIMONY.
[1:03:42] THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE
[1:03:43] OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
[1:03:44] THANK YOU SO MUCH, DANIEL.
[1:03:45] AND UM, THANK YOU FOR SPENDING
[1:03:47] TIME WITH US HERE TODAY.
[1:03:49] SO WE HAVE A SECOND PANEL UM,
[1:03:51] WHICH I KNOW IS A IS A GREAT
[1:03:53] MIX OF FOLKS AND PERSPECTIVES.
[1:03:56] UM.
[1:03:57] SO UH.
[1:03:58] IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO.
[1:03:59] GO DOWN THE LINE I KNOW YOU'VE
[1:04:01] EACH I THINK MOST OF YOU HAVE
[1:04:02] PREPARED A MINUTE TO JUST
[1:04:04] INTRODUCE YOURSELVES.
[1:04:05] UM AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HEAR
[1:04:06] FROM MY COLLEAGUES AND THEY
[1:04:08] WILL ASK QUESTIONS AND IF YOU
[1:04:10] FEEL LIKE THEY PERTAIN TO YOU,
[1:04:11] FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN WITH AN
[1:04:12] ANSWER.
[1:04:13] UM, THAT'S KIND OF HOW IT
[1:04:14] WORKS.
[1:04:15] SOMETIMES MY COLLEAGUES MIGHT
[1:04:16] DIRECT A SPECIFIC QUESTION TO
[1:04:17] YOU.
[1:04:18] UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THAT
[1:04:19] QUESTION IS FOR YOU.
[1:04:20] UM, BUT FEEL FREE.
[1:04:22] UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS I KNOW
[1:04:24] FOR MANY OF YOU YOU KNOW,
[1:04:26] YOU'VE DONE THIS BEFORE AND
[1:04:27] SOME OF YOU IT'S YOUR FIRST
[1:04:28] TIME.
[1:04:29] SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
[1:04:30] FEEL FREE TO ASK.
[1:04:31] UM AND THEN I'M GOING TO I'M
[1:04:33] NOT GOING TO I'M GOING TO DO A
[1:04:35] UM TIMER ON HERE BUT IT'S NOT
[1:04:36] GOING TO BEEP.
[1:04:37] SO JUST NOTICE WHEN I HIT ZERO.
[1:04:39] OKAY.
[1:04:39] GO AHEAD.
[1:04:41] GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCILORS MY
[1:04:43] NAME IS MARY ONE BOYD AND I'M A
[1:04:45] LAW RESIDENT AND A MEMBER
[1:04:47] OF HONEST FUTURE FOR LAW, WHICH
[1:04:49] IS A GRASSROOT LED EFFORT.
[1:04:51] FORMED TO PUSH BACK.
[1:04:53] AGAINST HARMFUL DATA CENTER
[1:04:55] EXPANSION IN SOUTH LAWN.
[1:04:57] WE ARE WE ARE NOT UNTIED DATA
[1:05:00] CENTERS.
[1:05:00] WE ARE FOR GROWTH AND
[1:05:02] DEVELOPMENT THAT KEEPS
[1:05:05] MUNICIPAL BUDGETS.
[1:05:06] STRONG AND PROTECTS RESIDENTS.
[1:05:09] UH, DATA CENTER IN LAW IS 50MW
[1:05:12] ENOUGH ELECTRICITY TO POWER AT
[1:05:14] LEAST 30,000 HOMES.
[1:05:17] UM, RESIDENTS HAVE EXPERIENCED
[1:05:20] A LOT OF NOISE.
[1:05:21] UH, CHRONIC.
[1:05:22] STREET FLOODING.
[1:05:24] AND DESPITE THE DATA CENTER
[1:05:26] RECEIVING $77 MILLION IN, UH,
[1:05:30] TAX INCENTIVES, THE FACILITY
[1:05:32] THAT HAS BEEN THERE FOR TEN
[1:05:34] YEARS PROVIDES FEWER THAN 40
[1:05:36] JOBS.
[1:05:37] SO I WANT TO COMMEND BOSTON.
[1:05:39] FOR HAVING THIS CITY, UH,
[1:05:43] BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT
[1:05:45] MUNICIPALITIES ARE THE ONES
[1:05:46] THAT ARE GOING TO.
[1:05:47] ACT ON BEHALF OF THEIR
[1:05:49] RESIDENTS.
[1:05:51] THANK YOU.
[1:05:55] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND
[1:05:57] COUNCILOR CULPEPER
[1:05:57] COUNCILOR FOR ALL MEMBERS
[1:05:58] OF THE COMMITTEE.
[1:05:59] UH, MY NAME IS ON FAROOQUI.
[1:06:00] I'M EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
[1:06:01] BOSTON CLIMATE ACTION NETWORK
[1:06:02] AND I ALSO SERVE ON THE CITY
[1:06:04] OF BOSTON REVIEW BOARD UM,
[1:06:06] OVERSEEING GREENHOUSE GAS
[1:06:07] EMISSIONS FROM OUR LARGE
[1:06:08] BUILDINGS.
[1:06:08] AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE
[1:06:10] CONVERSATION TODAY.
[1:06:10] OBVIOUSLY NO ONE WANTS TO SEE
[1:06:12] SOME OF THE, UH, SIDE EFFECTS
[1:06:14] THAT WE'VE SEEN ACROSS THE
[1:06:15] COUNTRY IN TERMS OF HIGHER
[1:06:16] ENERGY COSTS AND AIR POLLUTION
[1:06:18] AND WATER DEPLETION.
[1:06:19] UM, AND SO WE NEED TO HAVE A
[1:06:21] BALANCED AND STRATEGIC AND
[1:06:22] PROACTIVE APPROACH HERE IN THE
[1:06:24] CITY, UM, THAT PROTECTS OUR
[1:06:26] RESIDENTS FROM THOSE EFFECTS
[1:06:27] AND ALSO PROTECTS OUR WORKERS
[1:06:29] AND PARTICULARLY MAKE SURE THAT
[1:06:30] CONSTRUCTION JOBS OR HIGH ROAD
[1:06:32] UNION JOBS.
[1:06:33] UM.
[1:06:34] AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE
[1:06:36] CONVERSATION AND TO YOUR
[1:06:37] QUESTIONS.
[1:06:37] THANK YOU.
[1:06:38] THANK YOU JUSTIN.
[1:06:40] GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL.
[1:06:41] THANK YOU FOR THE HEARING.
[1:06:43] MY NAME IS TRISTAN THOMAS.
[1:06:44] I'M DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND LAW
[1:06:45] FOR ACE ALTERNATIVES FOR
[1:06:47] COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENT
[1:06:49] ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE NONPROFIT
[1:06:50] THAT'S BEEN WORKING ON THE
[1:06:51] ISSUE OF DATA CENTERS FOR OVER
[1:06:52] TWO YEARS NOW.
[1:06:53] WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CONNECT
[1:06:55] LEGAL POLICY AND ORGANIZING
[1:06:57] RESOURCES TO COMMUNITIES IN
[1:06:58] LOWELL, WESTFIELD AS WELL AS
[1:07:00] NATIONWIDE WERE PART
[1:07:01] OF NATIONWIDE PLATFORMS AND IN
[1:07:03] DOING THIS WORK AND ENGAGING
[1:07:04] WITH DOZENS AND DOZENS
[1:07:05] COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY
[1:07:06] .
[1:07:07] ONE THING IS COMMON DATA
[1:07:09] CENTERS ARE A THREAT AND RISK
[1:07:11] TO COMMUNITIES.
[1:07:11] THEY EXTRACT OUR RESOURCES,
[1:07:12] THEY IMPOSE PUBLIC HEALTH
[1:07:14] HARMS.
[1:07:14] THEY THREATEN OUR GRID
[1:07:16] RELIABILITY, CONTRIBUTE TO
[1:07:17] BLACKOUTS AND ALL IN EXCHANGE
[1:07:19] FOR PROMISES OF ECONOMIC
[1:07:21] DEVELOPMENT, INNOVATION AND IN
[1:07:23] JOBS.
[1:07:23] AND I ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO CHECK
[1:07:24] OUT GREAT RESEARCH BY
[1:07:26] ORGANIZATIONS LIKE GOOD JOBS
[1:07:27] FIRST, WHICH LOOKS INTO TAX
[1:07:29] INCENTIVES AND JOB CREATION AND
[1:07:30] SHOWS TO MARY'S POINT THAT VERY
[1:07:32] LITTLE JOBS ARE CREATED.
[1:07:34] SO ON THIS QUESTION
[1:07:35] OF PROHIBITION VERSUS
[1:07:36] MORATORIUM VERSUS REGULATION,
[1:07:38] WE NEED SOME LEVEL
[1:07:40] OF PROTECTIONS AND UNTIL THOSE
[1:07:41] ARE ESTABLISHED NO DATA CENTERS
[1:07:42] SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BE BUILT
[1:07:44] OR EXPANDED.
[1:07:45] AND I'M HAPPY TO ENGAGE ON A
[1:07:46] CONVERSATION AROUND WHAT THE
[1:07:47] RIGHT THRESHOLDS ARE.
[1:07:49] THE STATE THRESHOLDS ARE WAY
[1:07:50] TOO HIGH.
[1:07:50] I THINK TEN MEGAWATTS IS
[1:07:52] PROBABLY MORE APPROPRIATE BUT
[1:07:53] ALSO BEYOND SPECIFIC THRESHOLDS
[1:07:55] AROUND ELECTRICITY, WATER,
[1:07:58] NOISE, LAND USE WE ALSO NEED A
[1:08:00] CUMULATIVE IMPACT ANALYSIS AND
[1:08:02] AN AFFIRMATIVE PERMIT FROM AN
[1:08:04] ENVIRONMENTAL DEPARTMENT THAT
[1:08:05] THERE IS NO ENVIRONMENTAL HARM
[1:08:07] .
[1:08:07] AND SO THINKING ABOUT THOSE
[1:08:08] QUANTITATIVE UH THRESHOLDS BUT
[1:08:10] ALSO QUALITATIVE AND.
[1:08:12] CUMULATIVE IMPACT ANALYZES.
[1:08:13] THANK YOU.
[1:08:16] THANK YOU CHAIR AND
[1:08:17] COUNCILORS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
[1:08:19] TO SPEAK TODAY.
[1:08:20] I'M AISHA JOSH COHEN PROFESSOR
[1:08:21] OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER
[1:08:22] ENGINEERING AT BOSTON
[1:08:23] UNIVERSITY WHERE I WORKED FOR
[1:08:25] 17 YEARS AT THIS POINT AND I'M
[1:08:27] ALSO CHIEF SCIENTIST AT EMERALD
[1:08:29] AI, A STARTUP COMPANY.
[1:08:30] I WAS A BOSTON RESIDENT FOR
[1:08:32] MOST OF THOSE YEARS AS WELL.
[1:08:33] SO BOSTON HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT
[1:08:34] PART OF MY LIFE AND I CARE
[1:08:36] DEEPLY ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY AND
[1:08:37] ITS CONCERNS.
[1:08:38] I'M HERE TO OFFER MY
[1:08:39] PERSPECTIVE AS A TECHNICAL
[1:08:41] EXPERT.
[1:08:41] THE CONCERNS ABOUT DATA CENTERS
[1:08:43] ARE REAL AND IMPORTANT AND WE
[1:08:45] MUST TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY.
[1:08:46] AS A COMPUTER ENGINEER, I'VE
[1:08:47] SPENT MY CAREER RESEARCHING
[1:08:49] ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN OTHER
[1:08:51] WORDS HOW TO ACCOMPLISH MORE
[1:08:52] COMPUTING USING FEWER RESOURCES
[1:08:54] .
[1:08:54] MUCH OF MY WORK HAS FOCUSED ON
[1:08:56] DATA CENTERS HOW THEY CAN USE
[1:08:57] ELECTRICITY MORE RESPONSIBLY.
[1:08:59] AND NOW I CONTINUE TO WORK AT A
[1:09:00] STARTUP TRANSLATING SOME
[1:09:01] OF THESE TECHNOLOGIES INTO
[1:09:03] PRACTICE SO DATA CENTERS CAN
[1:09:04] BECOME GOOD CITIZENS OF THE
[1:09:06] POWER GRID AND THEIR
[1:09:07] COMMUNITIES.
[1:09:08] I BELIEVE WE CAN ADDRESS MANY
[1:09:09] OF THESE CONCERNS RAISED TODAY
[1:09:11] THROUGH A FRAMEWORK THAT
[1:09:12] REQUIRES DATA CENTERS TO
[1:09:13] OPERATE RESPONSIBLY WHILE
[1:09:15] RESPECTING THE NEEDS AND
[1:09:16] LIMITATIONS OF OUR ELECTRICITY
[1:09:17] GRID COMMUNITIES AND THE
[1:09:19] ENVIRONMENT.
[1:09:20] MY EXPERTISE IS IN THE
[1:09:21] ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION OF DATA
[1:09:22] CENTERS, SO I WILL TALK ABOUT
[1:09:24] THAT BRIEFLY AS AN EXAMPLE.
[1:09:25] BUT SIMILAR FRAMEWORKS CAN
[1:09:27] ADDRESS OTHER IMPACTS SUCH AS
[1:09:28] WATER USE, LAND USE, POLLUTION
[1:09:30] AND NOISE.
[1:09:32] SPECIFICALLY MY WORK FOCUSES ON
[1:09:34] POWER FLEXIBILITY ALSO CALLED
[1:09:36] GRID RESPONSIVE COMPUTING.
[1:09:37] FOR EXAMPLE, DURING AN EXTREME
[1:09:40] WEATHER EVENTS WHEN RESIDENTIAL
[1:09:41] ELECTRICITY DEMAND INCREASES
[1:09:42] SHARPLY, DATA CENTERS CAN
[1:09:45] TEMPORARILY REDUCE THEIR POWER
[1:09:46] CONSUMPTION BY ADJUSTING THEIR
[1:09:48] COMPUTING WORKLOADS WHILE
[1:09:49] PROTECTING THEIR CRITICAL
[1:09:50] SERVICES AT THE SAME TIME.
[1:09:52] THIS HELPS RELIEVE PRESSURE ON
[1:09:53] THE POWER GRID WHEN COMMUNITIES
[1:09:55] NEED ELECTRICITY THE MOST.
[1:09:57] THIS FLEXIBILITY APPROACH
[1:09:58] OFFERS THREE IMPORTANT BENEFITS
[1:10:00] GREATER GRID RESILIENCE,
[1:10:02] GREATER AFFORDABILITY AND MORE
[1:10:04] SUSTAINABLE ENERGY USE ACROSS
[1:10:06] THE UNITED STATES AND
[1:10:08] INTERNATIONALLY.
[1:10:08] UTILITIES AND REGULATORS ARE
[1:10:09] NOW EXPLORING POWER FLEXIBILITY
[1:10:11] REQUIREMENTS, PARTICULARLY FOR
[1:10:13] LARGE DATA CENTERS BUT MORE
[1:10:15] BROADLY SO.
[1:10:16] THIS PROVIDES AN EXAMPLE OF A
[1:10:19] FRAMEWORK AND POLICY DESIGNED
[1:10:20] TO ACCOMMODATE AFFORDABLE,
[1:10:22] EFFICIENT DATA CENTER GROWTH.
[1:10:24] IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO
[1:10:25] RECOGNIZE THAT LOCAL COMPUTING
[1:10:27] INFRASTRUCTURE IS ESSENTIAL TO
[1:10:29] OUR UNIVERSITIES, HOSPITALS,
[1:10:30] SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, EDUCATION
[1:10:31] AND DAILY LIVES.
[1:10:32] MANY INSTITUTIONS ALREADY FACE
[1:10:35] CONSTRAINTS IN ACCESSING THE
[1:10:36] ADDITIONAL ELECTRICITY CAPACITY
[1:10:37] NEEDED TO EXPAND THEIR
[1:10:39] COMPUTING INFRASTRUCTURE.
[1:10:40] THEREFORE, WE NEED POLICIES
[1:10:42] THAT RECOGNIZE THE DIFFERENT
[1:10:43] TYPES OF DATA CENTERS AND THEIR
[1:10:45] IMPACTS AND ESTABLISH CLEAR
[1:10:47] PRACTICAL STANDARDS FOR
[1:10:48] RESPONSIBLE OPERATION.
[1:10:49] BOSTON AND MASSACHUSETTS AS
[1:10:51] LEADERS IN INNOVATION HAVE AN
[1:10:53] OPPORTUNITY HERE TO PIONEER A
[1:10:55] THOUGHTFUL FRAMEWORK THAT
[1:10:57] PROTECTS OUR COMMUNITIES AND
[1:10:58] ENVIRONMENT WHILE ENABLING THE
[1:11:00] BENEFITS OF COMPUTING AND AI
[1:11:02] AND TO SERVE AS A MODEL FOR
[1:11:04] OTHER CITIES AND STATES.
[1:11:05] THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND
[1:11:07] CONCENTRATION.
[1:11:07] THANK YOU PROFESSOR.
[1:11:13] GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR.
[1:11:15] COUNSELOR CULPEPER AND MEMBERS
[1:11:16] OF THE COUNCIL.
[1:11:17] MY NAME IS MICHELLE BROOKS.
[1:11:18] I'M A SENIOR ORGANIZER WITH THE
[1:11:21] MASSACHUSETTS CHAPTER OF SIERRA
[1:11:22] CLUB.
[1:11:24] WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
[1:11:25] HOLDING THIS IMPORTANT HEARING
[1:11:26] TODAY.
[1:11:27] THE SIERRA CLUB IS COMMITTED TO
[1:11:30] AND SUPPORTING THE AGENCY AND
[1:11:32] AUTONOMY OF COMMUNITIES TO
[1:11:33] DETERMINE WHAT IS BEST FOR
[1:11:34] THEMSELVES, INCLUDING ANALYZING
[1:11:36] THE COLLECTIVE GOOD AND HARM
[1:11:38] OF ANY INDIVIDUAL PROJECT.
[1:11:40] CRITICAL TO THIS IS DEVELOPING
[1:11:42] A SHARED LANGUAGE AND CLEAR
[1:11:44] NON-BIASED INFORMATION.
[1:11:46] WE MUST ALSO ANALYZE THE COST
[1:11:48] OF ANY DECISION.
[1:11:50] IN RECENT YEARS WE HAVE FOUND
[1:11:51] OURSELVES IN A SITUATION WHERE
[1:11:53] THE GROWTH AND DEMANDS OF AI
[1:11:55] AND DATA INFRASTRUCTURE ARE
[1:11:57] OUTPACING OUR MUNICIPAL
[1:11:58] LANGUAGE AND THE.
[1:11:59] LAWS MEANT TO.
[1:12:00] PROTECT US.
[1:12:01] DATA CENTERS POWER THE COMPUTE
[1:12:03] OF REAL TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES
[1:12:05] THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO
[1:12:07] SOLVE CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL
[1:12:08] CHALLENGES SUCH AS IDENTIFYING
[1:12:10] AND REMOVING FOREVER CHEMICALS
[1:12:12] IN OUR DRINKING WATER AND
[1:12:14] DEVELOPING SCALABLE,
[1:12:16] SUSTAINABLE BATTERY STORAGE
[1:12:17] SOLUTIONS.
[1:12:18] JUST AS A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES
[1:12:20] AND THEY CAN DO SO WITHOUT
[1:12:22] MINIMAL WITH MINIMAL IMPACT
[1:12:24] EXCUSE ME TO THE COMMUNITIES
[1:12:25] AND ENVIRONMENTS THAT HOST
[1:12:27] THEM.
[1:12:28] IF THESE BREAKTHROUGHS ARE
[1:12:29] POSSIBLE, SURELY THESE
[1:12:31] DEVELOPERS CAN ALSO FIND A WAY.
[1:12:32] FORWARD THAT DOES NOT POLLUTE.
[1:12:34] OUR COMMUNITIES.
[1:12:35] AND TO FIND A WAY THAT DOES NOT
[1:12:37] REQUIRE THE EXPANSION
[1:12:38] OF FRACKED GAS PIPELINES TO
[1:12:40] POWER.
[1:12:40] THAT MASSIVE COMPUTE.
[1:12:42] JUST AS TECHNOLOGY HAS OUTPACED
[1:12:44] OUR MUNICIPAL PROTECTIONS, IT
[1:12:46] CAN JUST AS QUICKLY DEVELOP THE
[1:12:49] TECHNOLOGY THAT WOULD MAKE THEM
[1:12:50] PART OF THE SOLUTION AND WE
[1:12:51] MUST DEMAND BETTER.
[1:12:54] WE CAUTION THAT A BAN MAY HAVE
[1:12:56] AN ADVERSE IMPACT AND RATHER
[1:12:57] THAN INCENTIVIZE THE
[1:12:59] DEVELOPMENT OF SOLUTIONS.
[1:13:01] SHIFT DEVELOPMENT TO
[1:13:02] COMMUNITIES WITH LESS CAPACITY
[1:13:04] TO.
[1:13:04] FIGHT EXTRACTIVE AND POLLUTING
[1:13:07] DEVELOPMENT.
[1:13:08] SO WE RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING
[1:13:10] FOR ANY NEW DATA CENTER
[1:13:11] PROJECTS 24 OVER SEVEN
[1:13:14] CARBON FREE.
[1:13:14] ENERGY NO DIESEL OR GAS
[1:13:17] GENERATORS.
[1:13:17] CLEAN ENERGY INVESTMENT AND
[1:13:19] CAPACITY PROCUREMENT FREE OR
[1:13:22] OPEN AIR COOLING.
[1:13:23] NON-POTABLE WATER SOURCES.
[1:13:26] TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
[1:13:28] MEASURES INCLUDING WATER AND
[1:13:29] ENERGY USAGE AVAILABLE PUBLICLY
[1:13:32] AND REPORTED REGULARLY.
[1:13:34] DATA CENTER DEVELOPERS MUST PAY
[1:13:36] THEIR OWN WAY.
[1:13:37] STRICTLY DEFINING SCRIPT
[1:13:39] STRICTLY DEFINED ZONING THAT
[1:13:40] PROTECTS PEOPLE AND THE
[1:13:42] ENVIRONMENT.
[1:13:42] COMMUNITY BENEFITS AND PROJECT
[1:13:45] LABOR AGREEMENTS ARE
[1:13:46] NON-NEGOTIABLE.
[1:13:47] BOSTON IS A LEADER AND THIS IS
[1:13:49] AN OPPORTUNITY AND THIS HEARING
[1:13:51] CAN BE THE BEGINNING OF A
[1:13:53] CONVERSATION THAT CAN LEAD TO A
[1:13:55] MODEL THAT SCALES ACROSS THE.
[1:13:56] COMMONWEALTH AND.
[1:13:57] PROTECTS OUR COMMUNITIES.
[1:13:58] THANK YOU.
[1:13:59] THANK YOU TRISH.
[1:14:02] SORRY.
[1:14:03] GOOD AFTERNOON.
[1:14:04] GOOD TO SEE YOU.
[1:14:04] YOU TOO.
[1:14:05] GOOD AFTERNOON MADAM CHAIR AND
[1:14:09] COUNCILOR CULPEPER AND MEMBERS
[1:14:10] OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
[1:14:12] MY NAME IS TISH MCMULLEN.
[1:14:13] I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
[1:14:16] OF THE CONFERENCE OF BOSTON
[1:14:18] TEACHING HOSPITALS.
[1:14:20] ON BEHALF OF OUR 12 MEMBER
[1:14:22] HOSPITALS, WE APPRECIATE THE
[1:14:23] OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON
[1:14:25] DOCKET 718 1718.
[1:14:29] WE RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE,
[1:14:31] UH, THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THE
[1:14:33] COMMONWEALTH'S INTEREST IN
[1:14:35] LARGE SCALE COMMERCIAL DATA
[1:14:38] CENTERED DEVELOPMENT IN LIGHT
[1:14:39] OF THE POTENTIAL FOR
[1:14:41] SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ALREADY
[1:14:43] MENTIONED TODAY.
[1:14:45] WHILE WE TRULY APPRECIATE THE
[1:14:47] CLEAR EXEMPTION FOR RESEARCH
[1:14:50] LABORATORIES AND EDUCATIONAL
[1:14:52] FACILITIES INCLUDED IN DOCKET
[1:14:55] 1718, IT IS CRITICAL.
[1:14:57] TO OUR NONPROFIT HOSPITALS THAT
[1:15:00] ESSENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT
[1:15:03] SUPPORTS OUR HEALTHCARE
[1:15:05] INSTITUTIONS IS ALSO EXCLUDED
[1:15:07] FROM THE PROPOSED BAN.
[1:15:09] THIS IS PARTICULARLY.
[1:15:10] IMPORTANT FOR OUR ACADEMIC
[1:15:12] MEDICAL CENTERS AND THE
[1:15:14] PATIENTS AND FAMILIES WE SERVE
[1:15:16] EVERY DAY IN ORDER TO PROTECT
[1:15:18] THE TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE
[1:15:21] WE RELY ON TO FULFILL OUR
[1:15:23] MISSIONS.
[1:15:25] AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF BOSTON
[1:15:28] IS RECOGNIZED AROUND THE WORLD
[1:15:30] AS A CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN
[1:15:32] PATIENT CARE, IN HEALTH CARE
[1:15:33] DELIVERY, MEDICAL EDUCATION,
[1:15:37] BIOMEDICAL INNOVATION AND
[1:15:38] CLINICAL RESEARCH.
[1:15:39] THESE ACTIVITIES INCREASINGLY
[1:15:43] DEPEND ON SECURE, RELIABLE AND
[1:15:47] RESILIENT COMPUTING AND
[1:15:49] TELECOMMUNICATIONS
[1:15:50] INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT A
[1:15:52] WIDE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES AND
[1:15:54] FUNCTIONS INCLUDING ELECTRONIC
[1:15:57] HEALTH RECORDS, DEI DIAGNOSTIC
[1:16:00] IMAGING LABORATORY AND
[1:16:02] PATHOLOGY SYSTEMS, CLINICAL
[1:16:05] DECISION SUPPORT, CYBERSECURITY
[1:16:09] ,HOSPITAL OPERATIONS AND THE
[1:16:11] SECURE EXCHANGE OF PATIENT
[1:16:13] INFORMATION.
[1:16:15] OUR WORLD.
[1:16:16] RENOWNED RESEARCH COMMUNITY
[1:16:17] ALSO RELIES ON ADVANCED
[1:16:20] COMPUTING TO ANALYZE LARGE DATA
[1:16:23] SETS, SUPPORT BIOMEDICAL AND
[1:16:26] GENOMIC RESEARCH, DEVELOP NEW
[1:16:29] TREATMENTS AND CURES AND
[1:16:31] ACCELERATE SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY
[1:16:34] FOR OUR PATIENTS AND THEIR
[1:16:35] FAMILIES.
[1:16:36] THESE BREAKTHROUGHS AND CURES
[1:16:38] CANNOT COME SOON ENOUGH, AND IT
[1:16:41] IS CRITICAL THAT OUR HOSPITALS
[1:16:42] ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN, EXPAND
[1:16:46] AND MODERNIZE THE TECHNOLOGY
[1:16:49] INFRASTRUCTURE WE NEED UM TO
[1:16:52] FULFILL OUR PATIENT CARE
[1:16:54] RESEARCH AND MEDICAL EDUCATION
[1:16:56] MISSION.
[1:16:57] IN LIGHT OF OUR SHARED INTEREST
[1:17:00] IN ADVANCING PATIENT CARE AND
[1:17:02] PURSUING MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS,
[1:17:04] WE RESPECTFULLY RECOMMEND THAT
[1:17:06] THE PROPOSED PROHIBITION
[1:17:09] EXPLICITLY EXCLUDE FROM ITS
[1:17:11] SCOPE THE DATA CENTERS AND
[1:17:14] INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SUPPORTS
[1:17:15] OUR HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONS
[1:17:17] BOTH TODAY AND INTO THE FUTURE.
[1:17:20] THIS APPROACH WOULD ALLOW THE
[1:17:22] CITY TO PURSUE ITS POLICY GOALS
[1:17:25] REGARDING LARGE SCALE
[1:17:26] COMMERCIAL DATA CENTER
[1:17:28] DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT
[1:17:30] INADVERTENTLY RESTRICTING THE
[1:17:32] INFRASTRUCTURE UPON WHICH
[1:17:34] HEALTHCARE DELIVERY, BIOMEDICAL
[1:17:36] RESEARCH, MEDICAL EDUCATION AND
[1:17:39] PATIENT ACCESS AND SAFETY
[1:17:41] INCREASINGLY DEPEND.
[1:17:42] WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO
[1:17:44] DISCUSS THIS WITH YOU IN
[1:17:46] FURTHER DETAIL.
[1:17:48] UM I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION
[1:17:50] GIVEN HOW MUCH CONVERSATION
[1:17:52] THERE HAS BEEN ABOUT THE
[1:17:53] GOVERNOR'S UH, EXECUTIVE ORDER
[1:17:55] THAT THAT ORDER, UH, REQUIRES
[1:17:58] HER ADMINISTRATION TO KEY
[1:18:01] CABINET AGENCIES, UH, TO
[1:18:04] PUBLISH MUNICIPAL GUIDANCE UH,
[1:18:06] BY THE END OF THE YEAR AFTER
[1:18:09] CONSULTING WITH A VERY WIDE
[1:18:11] RANGE OF STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE
[1:18:13] LISTED, UH, IN THE EXECUTIVE
[1:18:15] ORDER.
[1:18:16] UM, AND I THINK IT'S
[1:18:18] INSTRUCTIVE, UM, FOR ALL OF US
[1:18:20] HERE TODAY.
[1:18:21] THANK YOU.
[1:18:22] THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[1:18:23] UM, TISH.
[1:18:24] UM, SO, UM, I'M GOING TO MOVE
[1:18:27] TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR QUESTIONS.
[1:18:28] UM, STARTING WITH THE LEAD
[1:18:30] SPONSOR COUNCILOR CULPEPER.
[1:18:32] YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
[1:18:34] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[1:18:35] DOCTOR COSTIN, YOU'VE MENTIONED
[1:18:37] THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE A
[1:18:39] THOUGHTFUL FRAMEWORK THAT
[1:18:41] PROTECTS OUR COMMUNITIES.
[1:18:43] HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT
[1:18:44] THAT FRAMEWORK WOULD LOOK LIKE?
[1:18:47] YES.
[1:18:47] SO I'LL, UH, SPEAK TOWARDS
[1:18:49] POWER BUT THEN GENERALIZE FROM
[1:18:51] THERE.
[1:18:52] UH, WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND
[1:18:54] STARTING WITH A FEW.
[1:18:56] UM FEW FEW UM THREADS.
[1:18:59] ONE IS DOING GRID IMPACT
[1:19:01] ASSESSMENTS UNDERSTANDING POWER
[1:19:03] AVAILABILITY.
[1:19:04] THE SECOND IS LOOKING INTO
[1:19:06] ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND POWER
[1:19:08] FLEXIBILITY STANDARDS TO ENSURE
[1:19:11] RESPONSIBLE OPERATION LIKE I
[1:19:12] WAS MENTIONING.
[1:19:14] UM ENERGY EFFICIENCY IS GREAT
[1:19:15] BUT POWER FLEXIBILITY BRINGS.
[1:19:18] UM AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE DATA
[1:19:19] CENTER TO SUPPORT THE GRID
[1:19:20] BECOME AN ASSET TO THE GRID.
[1:19:22] AND THE THIRD THING WOULD BE
[1:19:24] MEASUREMENT AND VERIFICATION
[1:19:26] REQUIREMENTS, UH, TO UH
[1:19:29] QUANTIFY THE IMPACT ON POWER
[1:19:31] AND YOU CAN EXPAND THIS TO
[1:19:32] OTHER AREAS LIKE WATER
[1:19:34] POLLUTION OTHER IMPACTS AND TO
[1:19:36] MAKE SURE DATA CENTERS
[1:19:37] EVENTUALLY WHEN THERE'S A
[1:19:39] REGULATORY FRAMEWORK THEY MEET
[1:19:40] THE REQUIREMENTS.
[1:19:41] SO THESE ARE THREE STARTING
[1:19:43] POINTS.
[1:19:44] UH OF COURSE YOU KNOW THIS
[1:19:45] WOULD REQUIRE A BROADER
[1:19:46] DISCUSSION UH WITH VARIOUS
[1:19:48] STAKEHOLDERS.
[1:19:49] IT WOULD ALSO REQUIRE
[1:19:50] COOPERATION UH WITH UTILITIES
[1:19:52] AND OTHER REGULATORY BODIES FOR
[1:19:54] ELECTRICITY.
[1:19:54] DO YOU HAVE THOSE THREE UH,
[1:19:58] RECOMMENDATIONS IN WRITING?
[1:19:59] YES.
[1:19:59] I CONSENT.
[1:20:00] YOU PROVIDED YES TO US THROUGH
[1:20:02] THE CHAIR.
[1:20:03] YES OF COURSE.
[1:20:04] THANK YOU.
[1:20:05] TRISTAN HAD A COUPLE
[1:20:05] OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
[1:20:06] OH, SORRY.
[1:20:07] I'LL JUST SAY THAT THE FOLKS
[1:20:08] THAT ARE ON THE PANEL DON'T
[1:20:09] WORK FOR THE CITY IF THERE'S A
[1:20:10] THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT FOR THEM
[1:20:11] TO DO ANYTHING ELSE.
[1:20:12] NO NO NO I KNOW ABSOLUTELY I
[1:20:14] WILL ASK BUT I'M JUST SAYING
[1:20:15] FOR YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR
[1:20:16] KNOWLEDGE YOU DON'T YOU'RE NOT
[1:20:17] REQUIRED TO KNOW.
[1:20:18] HAPPY TO HAVE IT.
[1:20:20] YEAH THANK YOU.
[1:20:20] YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED BUT WE'D
[1:20:22] LOVE YOU TO HELP US PUT THE
[1:20:24] FRAMEWORK AND THE POLICY
[1:20:26] TOGETHER AS WE WORK WITH GEOFF
[1:20:28] AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
[1:20:29] I MEAN, ANY HELP AND
[1:20:31] INFORMATION WE CAN GET IS
[1:20:33] HELPFUL BECAUSE THEY'RE REALLY
[1:20:35] STARTING WITH LITTLE OR NO
[1:20:37] INFORMATION.
[1:20:37] AND SO THIS HEARING IS REALLY
[1:20:41] INTENDED TO GIVE US AS MUCH
[1:20:43] INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE IN
[1:20:45] COULDN'T GET A POLICY THAT
[1:20:47] MAKES SENSE AND UH, WE'D LOVE
[1:20:50] TO HAVE THE RIGHT ABSOLUTELY TO
[1:20:51] HAVE IN WRITING.
[1:20:52] SO I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE
[1:20:54] BIT ABOUT UM.
[1:20:57] ONE OF.
[1:20:58] ONE OF THE PANELISTS MARY
[1:21:00] WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING.
[1:21:01] OH, SURE.
[1:21:02] MARY.
[1:21:03] UH, I LIKE YOUR QUESTION ABOUT
[1:21:06] ,UH, REGULATIONS, BUT I'D LIKE
[1:21:08] TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT LAW.
[1:21:09] I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT WE IN LAW
[1:21:12] KNOW THAT, UH, IN.
[1:21:15] 2024 MASSACHUSETTS HAD
[1:21:17] REGULATIONS IN THE BOOKS THAT
[1:21:19] WOULD HAVE PROTECTED US FROM
[1:21:22] FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE
[1:21:24] MONTHLY DATA CENTER.
[1:21:26] AND MY POINT IS HAVING
[1:21:29] REGULATIONS IS NOT EVEN ENOUGH.
[1:21:31] THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE.
[1:21:34] SO AND SO MARY, YOU TELL.
[1:21:35] ME YOU WANT TO WORK WITH US
[1:21:37] ON HELPING US PUT THIS TOGETHER
[1:21:38] BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE.
[1:21:40] WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU.
[1:21:42] I WOULD, UH, BUT I REALLY WANT
[1:21:45] TO EMPHASIZE THE NEED.
[1:21:46] FOR MUNICIPAL.
[1:21:47] FOR A CITY TO BE THE LEADER IN
[1:21:50] DATA CENTER REGULATION AND NOT
[1:21:53] RELY ON THE STATE.
[1:21:54] THAT'S WHAT WE KNOW.
[1:21:55] OUR RESIDENTS HAVE HAD TO SUE
[1:21:58] THE STATE BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT
[1:22:01] ENGAGED IN, UH.
[1:22:02] UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WAS
[1:22:04] NOT DONE UH, PROPERLY.
[1:22:07] SO I I'M JUST SAYING THE
[1:22:09] REGULATIONS CAN COME BUT UH,
[1:22:12] HOW ARE THEY ENFORCED?
[1:22:13] SECONDLY, I WANT TO SAY
[1:22:14] SOMETHING ABOUT THE WHAT UH, MY
[1:22:17] OTHER PANELISTS HAVE SAID ABOUT
[1:22:19] GRID IMPACTS.
[1:22:20] IT'S IMPORTANT TO SITUATE THIS
[1:22:23] .
[1:22:23] CONVERSATION IN THE REALITIES.
[1:22:27] OF MASSACHUSETTS, MASSACHUSETTS
[1:22:29] .
[1:22:29] AND I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I DO A
[1:22:31] LOT OF ENERGY WORK.
[1:22:33] IT MY OTHER LIFE HAS NOT
[1:22:35] FIGURED OUT HOW.
[1:22:37] TO PAY FOR ITS OWN.
[1:22:39] ELECTRIC SECTOR MODERNIZATION
[1:22:42] PLANS AND THOSE.
[1:22:44] DO NOT INCLUDE.
[1:22:44] DATA CENTERS.
[1:22:46] SO WHILE I WELCOME.
[1:22:47] THE IDEA THAT GRID IN PARTS
[1:22:49] AND DATA CENTERS CAN DO THIS
[1:22:51] AND THAT, I DON'T THINK ANYONE
[1:22:53] SHOULD LEAVE.
[1:22:54] THESE THINGS TO CHANCE.
[1:22:56] THANK YOU, MAYOR AND UH, WE'LL
[1:22:59] BE IN TOUCH.
[1:22:59] WE'D LOVE TO WORK WITH YOU ON
[1:23:01] THIS.
[1:23:01] LET ME IN.
[1:23:03] MY 30S AND A HALF LEFT REALLY?
[1:23:06] AND TALK ABOUT HOW BOSTON A
[1:23:09] HOUSE OF BOSTON DEFINED A DATA
[1:23:11] CENTER TO ENSURE WE'RE
[1:23:13] TARGETING THE FACILITIES WITH
[1:23:14] SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL
[1:23:16] IMPACTS WITHOUT UNINTENTIONALLY
[1:23:20] RESTRICTING SMALLER SERVERS OR
[1:23:21] COMPUTER INFRASTRUCTURE.
[1:23:23] UH, THERE'S MANY, MANY
[1:23:25] DIFFERENT APPROACHES WE CAN
[1:23:26] TAKE.
[1:23:26] BUT ULTIMATELY WHAT WE'RE
[1:23:27] TRYING TO PROTECT AGAINST IS
[1:23:28] ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH
[1:23:30] IMPACTS AND SO EXPLICITLY
[1:23:31] NAMING THAT AND THE THRESHOLD
[1:23:33] BOTH THROUGH MEGAWATTS GALLONS
[1:23:36] OF WATER, DECIBELS OF NOISE BUT
[1:23:38] ALSO THE SORT OF QUALITATIVE
[1:23:41] AFFIRMATION BY THE
[1:23:41] ENVIRONMENTAL DEPARTMENT THAT
[1:23:42] THEY'VE DONE A CUMULATIVE
[1:23:44] IMPACT ANALYSIS NOT JUST
[1:23:45] LOOKING AT THE DATA CENTER
[1:23:47] INDIVIDUALLY BUT ALSO WHERE
[1:23:48] IT'S SITED IN ALL THE OTHER
[1:23:49] FACILITIES AND UH, POLLUTION
[1:23:51] AND IMPACTS IN THE AREA.
[1:23:52] WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN LOWELL IS
[1:23:53] THAT THE DATA CENTER STARTED
[1:23:54] OFF RELATIVELY SMALL.
[1:23:56] YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT OVER TEN
[1:23:58] MEGAWATTS HAS INCREMENTALLY
[1:23:59] GROWN OVER THE YEARS AND IS NOW
[1:24:01] APPROACHING 50MW ENOUGH TO
[1:24:03] POWER POWER 30,000 HOMES.
[1:24:05] SO WHILE WE MAY NOT HAVE A
[1:24:07] HYPERSCALER PROPOSED IN BOSTON,
[1:24:09] SOME OF THE SAME COMPANIES HAVE
[1:24:11] DATA CENTERS IN BOSTON.
[1:24:12] WE HAVE A SALES AND USE TAX
[1:24:14] EXEMPTION AND THERE'S A BIG GAP
[1:24:16] IN REGULATION AS THE STATE
[1:24:17] WORKS TO FIGURE THINGS OUT.
[1:24:19] SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR.
[1:24:20] QUESTION REAL QUICK.
[1:24:21] AS WE LOOK.
[1:24:22] AT NATIONAL TREND AND
[1:24:23] CONSIDER REQUIRING AN
[1:24:25] ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IMPACT
[1:24:27] ASSESSMENT OR CERTIFICATION
[1:24:29] PROCESS BEFORE ALLOWING ANY
[1:24:31] DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT.
[1:24:33] ABSOLUTELY.
[1:24:34] UM THE CURRENT PROCESSES
[1:24:35] AROUND ZONING WON'T ALLOW FOR
[1:24:37] AN ADEQUATE CUMULATIVE IMPACT
[1:24:39] REVIEW AROUND THESE FACILITIES.
[1:24:40] THEY NEED THEIR OWN SPECIAL
[1:24:42] PROCESS AND SPECIAL PERMIT
[1:24:44] APPROVALS.
[1:24:44] AND TRIPS.
[1:24:45] AND YOU'RE WILLING TO WORK.
[1:24:46] WITH US ON THIS?
[1:24:47] ABSOLUTELY.
[1:24:47] AND WE'VE HELPED PUT
[1:24:48] TOGETHER NATIONAL POLICY
[1:24:50] TOOLKITS AND CAN SHARE THAT
[1:24:51] WITH THE FULL COUNCIL.
[1:24:52] GREAT.
[1:24:53] THANK YOU TO THE CHAIR.
[1:24:54] TO THE CHAIR.
[1:24:56] THANK YOU.
[1:24:57] UM AND I YEAH I THINK IT'S UM
[1:25:00] THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION IS SO
[1:25:01] IMPORTANT BECAUSE UM WE'RE
[1:25:03] WE'RE GETTING TO A LOT OF THE
[1:25:05] MEAT OF IT VERY QUICKLY OF LIKE
[1:25:07] WHERE SORT OF THE DIFFERENT
[1:25:10] ISSUES MAY BE AND ALSO YOU KNOW
[1:25:13] WHO'S INVOLVED.
[1:25:13] I DID WANT TO JUST SAY THAT UM
[1:25:15] ,I THINK IN MY I SAID THIS IN
[1:25:18] MY OPENING STATEMENT BUT THERE
[1:25:19] ARE I FEEL LIKE THERE ARE
[1:25:21] APPROACHES THAT WE SHOULD
[1:25:23] CONSIDER I THINK INCLUDING OUR
[1:25:25] THRESHOLD BASED LOCAL
[1:25:26] PERMITTING OPTION WHICH I
[1:25:28] BELIEVE WOULD GIVE US ALL THE
[1:25:30] FLEXIBILITY TO YOU KNOW, AND
[1:25:33] HONESTLY IT COULD BE A
[1:25:34] REGULATION THAT'S NOT YOU KNOW,
[1:25:37] THAT WE REVIEW ANNUALLY SO IT'S
[1:25:38] NOT NECESSARILY CODIFIED IN
[1:25:40] TERMS OF I DON'T KNOW
[1:25:43] PERSONALLY I MEAN THE MORE WE
[1:25:44] TALK ABOUT THIS CONVERSATION I
[1:25:45] DON'T KNOW IF IT'S JUST ZONING
[1:25:46] THAT THAT IS A PART OF THIS.
[1:25:48] I FEEL LIKE THE UM GIVEN THAT
[1:25:50] THIS IS ALREADY A CONDITIONAL
[1:25:51] USE MOST PLACES I FEEL LIKE THE
[1:25:54] ARTICLE 80 REVIEW COULD INCLUDE
[1:25:57] A LOT OF THESE THINGS.
[1:25:58] UM, AND A LOT OF THESE UM,
[1:26:00] BECAUSE I MEAN I KNOW FOR THE
[1:26:02] AMOUNT FOR THE PROJECTS IN MY
[1:26:03] DISTRICT WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING
[1:26:04] ABOUT SPECIAL SHADOW REVIEWS
[1:26:06] AND WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT
[1:26:08] THIS SEEMS LIKE EVEN MORE
[1:26:09] IMPACTFUL ON THE ENVIRONMENT.
[1:26:11] UM, IN A VERY, YOU KNOW,
[1:26:13] MEASURED AND UM, POINTED WAY.
[1:26:17] AND SO I THINK ANY ARTICLE 80
[1:26:19] REVIEW SHOULD INCLUDE ANY
[1:26:20] OF THESE UM, YOU KNOW AND AND
[1:26:23] AND IT SOUNDS LIKE ANY LARGE
[1:26:26] SCALE DATA CENTER WOULD BE
[1:26:27] SUBJECT TO ARTICLE 80 REVIEW
[1:26:28] WHICH MIGHT BE THE TEETH THAT
[1:26:30] IS NEEDED.
[1:26:32] UM, THAT BEING SAID, A LOT
[1:26:33] OF THE COMPUTATIONAL CENTERS
[1:26:35] THAT ALREADY EXIST IN THE CITY
[1:26:36] AND HOSPITALS HAVE GONE THROUGH
[1:26:38] THAT ARTICLE EIGHT REVIEW AS
[1:26:40] PART OF THE PERMITTING OF A
[1:26:41] HOSPITAL OR UH, YOU KNOW,
[1:26:44] ACADEMIC UM, INSTITUTION.
[1:26:45] SO I'LL UM I'LL GO TO THE
[1:26:48] SECOND CO-SPONSOR, UM, BRIAN
[1:26:50] WORRELL AND THEN WE'LL GO TO
[1:26:52] COUNCILOR FLYNN.
[1:26:53] UH THANK YOU CHAIR.
[1:26:55] UM, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS.
[1:26:57] I HAVE IS AROUND THE
[1:26:58] ECONOMIC IMPACT AND UH, WE KNOW
[1:27:01] YOU KNOW THAT YOU KNOW, THEY DO
[1:27:04] CREATE YOU KNOW, CONSTRUCTION
[1:27:05] JOBS.
[1:27:06] BUT CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT,
[1:27:09] UM, ANY RESEARCH OF WHAT YOU'VE
[1:27:10] SEEN AROUND THE PERMANENT JOBS
[1:27:13] THAT ARE CREATED AND THEN ALSO
[1:27:14] HOW THEY SUPPORT, UH, ANY AND
[1:27:17] ANY OTHER INDUSTRY AND JOBS
[1:27:19] THAT IS SUPPORTED BY THESE
[1:27:20] OPERATIONS.
[1:27:23] YOU SEE, BOSTON HAS.
[1:27:26] A GOOD EXAMPLE IN LAW.
[1:27:28] YOU DON'T NEED TO GO FAR.
[1:27:30] YOU JUST GO 35 MINUTES.
[1:27:32] AWAY FROM HERE AND YOU WILL
[1:27:34] SEE.
[1:27:34] THE AMOUNT OF JOBS THAT THESE
[1:27:37] COMPANIES CREATE.
[1:27:38] MARK LEE HAS BEEN IN LAW FOR
[1:27:40] TEN YEARS.
[1:27:41] IT'S TRUE THERE HAVE BEEN.
[1:27:44] CONSTRUCTION JOBS BUT FOR.
[1:27:46] TEN YEARS WE HAVE.
[1:27:48] BELOW 40 JOBS.
[1:27:50] AND WE SHOULDN'T.
[1:27:52] JUST BE TALKING ABOUT JOBS.
[1:27:53] I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU ABOUT.
[1:27:55] TWO WEEKS.
[1:27:56] AGO THE.
[1:27:57] FIRE STATION THAT SERVES, UH.
[1:28:01] THE LOCATION.
[1:28:02] WHERE THIS DATA CENTER.
[1:28:05] IS WAS BROWNED OUT.
[1:28:07] BECAUSE THE CITY COULD NOT.
[1:28:08] AFFORD EXTRA.
[1:28:10] UH, OVERTIME.
[1:28:12] MY POINT MY POINT IS THAT WE
[1:28:14] CANNOT JUST SAY IT'S.
[1:28:15] JOBS.
[1:28:16] JOBS, JOBS A.
[1:28:18] MUNICIPALITY SHOULD BE ABLE TO
[1:28:19] COME OUT OF THIS.
[1:28:21] KIND OF AN ARRANGEMENT.
[1:28:24] PROTECTING ITS.
[1:28:25] RESIDENTS FROM FIRES.
[1:28:28] SURVEILLANCE AND SO MANY OTHER.
[1:28:30] TERRIBLE THINGS.
[1:28:32] AND I'LL AGAIN POINT YOU TO
[1:28:33] GOOD JOBS FIRST THERE UH,
[1:28:36] NATIONAL THINK TANK THAT HAS
[1:28:37] DONE RESEARCH INTO DATA CENTER
[1:28:39] TAX SUBSIDIES AND JOB CREATION
[1:28:41] .
[1:28:41] I THINK UH, OFF THE TOP OF MY
[1:28:43] HEAD FOR THE LARGE HYPERSCALE
[1:28:44] DATA CENTERS MUCH LARGER THAN
[1:28:46] THE ONE IN LOWELL, THEY CREATE
[1:28:47] AN AVERAGE OF 100 JOBS.
[1:28:48] HOWEVER, THERE'S NO CERTAINTY
[1:28:50] THAT THOSE JOBS ARE LOCAL.
[1:28:51] MANY OF THEM ARE REMOTE.
[1:28:53] THEY OFTEN REQUIRE DIFFERENT
[1:28:54] KINDS OF TECHNICAL AND SPECIAL
[1:28:56] CERTIFICATIONS AND SKILLS.
[1:28:57] AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT IF A
[1:28:59] DATA CENTER WERE TO COME TO
[1:29:00] BOSTON, WOULD PEOPLE IN BOSTON
[1:29:02] ACTUALLY BENEFIT FROM WORKING
[1:29:03] THERE AND HOW MUCH THE MATH
[1:29:04] DOESN'T MATH WE LOSE MORE UM,
[1:29:06] IN TAX INCENTIVES THAN WE GET.
[1:29:08] BACK, RIGHT?
[1:29:09] THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
[1:29:10] AS 1 TO 1 OF MY QUESTIONS, UM,
[1:29:12] WAS AROUND UH, HOW MUCH OF UM
[1:29:18] HOW MUCH DO WE WEIGH THAT TAX
[1:29:20] INCENTIVE VERSUS UM, YOU KNOW,
[1:29:24] THE REGULATORY OF OTHER DATA
[1:29:26] CENTERS.
[1:29:27] BUT BEFORE IT BEFORE.
[1:29:28] I GO INTO THAT QUESTION.
[1:29:29] ARE MOST OF THESE DATA.
[1:29:30] CENTERS OWNED BY.
[1:29:31] FOR PROFIT OR NONPROFIT.
[1:29:33] COMPANIES?
[1:29:35] SO UM, I TO YOUR EARLIER
[1:29:38] QUESTION AROUND, YOU KNOW, THE
[1:29:40] APPLICABILITY OF THESE DATA
[1:29:41] CENTERS RIGHT NOW THERE ARE
[1:29:42] EIGHT DATA CENTERS OR EIGHT
[1:29:44] BUILDINGS THAT HAVE THE
[1:29:45] DESIGNATION OF DATA CENTER, UM,
[1:29:47] WITHIN THE 2026 REPORTING THAT
[1:29:50] IS AN UNDERCOUNT.
[1:29:51] THERE'S AT LEAST ONE DATA
[1:29:52] CENTER THAT HASN'T REPORTED TO
[1:29:54] BOURDEAUX.
[1:29:55] UM, ALL OF THE ONES THAT HAVE
[1:29:56] REPORTED ARE CURRENTLY OWNED BY
[1:29:58] FOR PROFIT COMPANIES TO MY
[1:30:00] UNDERSTANDING FROM THAT LIST.
[1:30:01] AND BASED OFF THE SQUARE
[1:30:02] FOOTAGE LIKE HOW MUCH?
[1:30:04] DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF LIKE
[1:30:06] HOW MUCH EMISSIONS OR HOW MUCH
[1:30:08] ELECTRICITY OR RESOURCES THEY
[1:30:10] USE BASED OFF THE SQUARE
[1:30:11] FOOTAGE COMPARED TO TO.
[1:30:12] OTHER SIMILAR SIZE?
[1:30:15] THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
[1:30:16] AS AN AGGREGATE NO.
[1:30:18] AND THAT'S LARGELY BECAUSE ONE
[1:30:20] OF THE LARGER ONES WHICH IS THE
[1:30:22] UH MARKLEY DATA CENTER IN
[1:30:24] WASHINGTON AND SUMMER STREET UM
[1:30:25] ,THEY HAVE NOT REPORTED THEIR
[1:30:27] ENERGY AND WATER USE AND UM
[1:30:28] IMPORTANT TO NOTE AS WELL TO
[1:30:30] THE OTHER QUESTION, THE THE USE
[1:30:32] OF BACKUP GENERATORS IS NOT,
[1:30:34] UH, YOU KNOW, COUNTED AS A PART
[1:30:36] OF THE OVERALL ENERGY AND
[1:30:38] EMISSIONS SCORE THAT WE HAVE
[1:30:39] UNDER BOURDEAUX SO WE DON'T
[1:30:42] HAVE I THINK, YOU KNOW, JUST
[1:30:44] EVEN WITHIN THE DEFINITION
[1:30:46] OF ENERGY AND EMISSIONS UNDER
[1:30:47] BOURDEAUX TO MY VIEW THE FULL
[1:30:49] COMPLETE PICTURE BECAUSE OF THE
[1:30:50] UNDERREPORTING.
[1:30:50] GOT IT.
[1:30:52] ALL RIGHT AND THEN.
[1:30:58] SO I WAS LOOKING AT MY QUESTION
[1:31:03] UM HOW HOW DO WE DETERMINE
[1:31:05] WHETHER THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS
[1:31:07] OUTWEIGH THE ADDITIONAL
[1:31:10] ELECTRICITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE
[1:31:11] COSTS?
[1:31:12] I'LL JUMP BACK IN.
[1:31:14] SO IS IN 2025 WE HOSTED A
[1:31:17] NATIONAL CONVENING ON DATA
[1:31:18] CENTERS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
[1:31:20] NAACP AND TWO LOCAL MEMPHIS
[1:31:22] ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
[1:31:23] ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE
[1:31:24] ORGANIZING AGAINST Z.
[1:31:26] AND WE CAME UP WITH FRONT LINE
[1:31:28] FRAMEWORK COMMUNITY GUIDING
[1:31:30] PRINCIPLES FOR EQUITABLE DATA
[1:31:31] CENTER DEVELOPMENT.
[1:31:31] ONE OF MY FAVORITE ONES IS JOBS
[1:31:34] CANNOT JUSTIFY HARM, SO WE HAVE
[1:31:36] TO PUT A BOTTOM LINE ON THE
[1:31:37] HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF OUR
[1:31:38] PEOPLE.
[1:31:39] UM WE CANNOT EXCHANGE ASTHMA
[1:31:41] FOR THE PROMISE OF TAX DOLLARS
[1:31:42] AND SO THAT'S MY BOTTOM LINE.
[1:31:44] ALL RIGHT.
[1:31:45] WELL THANK YOU AND LOOK
[1:31:46] FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE
[1:31:48] PANEL ON, UM, THIS ORDINANCE.
[1:31:49] THANK YOU.
[1:31:51] THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[1:31:53] UM, COUNCILOR EARLE,
[1:31:54] COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE FIVE
[1:31:55] MINUTES.
[1:31:56] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[1:31:57] I I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION
[1:32:01] TO IS IT MARY FROM LEVEL?
[1:32:02] HI, MARY.
[1:32:03] IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.
[1:32:04] UM, MARY THE THE PROPOSAL
[1:32:07] OUTLINED BUT THIS BY THE CITY
[1:32:09] COUNCIL IN THIS UM THIS
[1:32:12] ORDINANCE UH TEXT UM CHANGE TO
[1:32:14] THE ZONING CODE.
[1:32:16] UH, THERE IS THERE ANY OTHER
[1:32:19] CITY THAT HAS DONE SOMETHING
[1:32:21] SIMILAR TO THAT BESIDES UM
[1:32:24] BESIDES SOME OF THE THE CITIES
[1:32:26] .
[1:32:26] THAT WERE MENTIONED?
[1:32:29] UM OR I DO YOU HAVE ANY
[1:32:31] BACKGROUND INFORMATION?
[1:32:32] WOULD BOSTON BE THE.
[1:32:35] NEW THE BIGGEST CITY OR THE
[1:32:37] MAJOR CITY FIRST MAJOR CITY TO
[1:32:39] ENACT THIS TYPE OF CHANGE IN
[1:32:40] THE COUNTRY OR OTHER CITIES ARE
[1:32:42] DOING THIS AS WELL?
[1:32:45] ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT THE LOCAL
[1:32:47] MORATORIUM HERE?
[1:32:50] UM, I'M ASKING IF IF BOSTON
[1:32:51] WERE TO IMPLEMENT THIS CHANGE
[1:32:54] AS OUTLINED.
[1:32:55] UM, WOULD IT BE THE FIRST CITY
[1:32:58] IN THE COUNTRY TO DO THAT OR OR
[1:33:00] HAVE OTHER CITIES?
[1:33:02] UM.
[1:33:05] UM YEAH.
[1:33:06] SO UM, IN REGARDS TO
[1:33:08] MORATORIUMS, THOSE ARE AN
[1:33:10] EPIDEMIC.
[1:33:11] THEY'RE HAPPENING EVERYWHERE
[1:33:12] BECAUSE THEY'RE NEEDED
[1:33:12] INCLUDING HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS
[1:33:13] IN TERMS OF PUTTING A PAUSE ONE
[1:33:15] YEAR WITH NO DATA CENTER
[1:33:16] DEVELOPMENT IN TERMS
[1:33:17] OF OUTRIGHT BANS.
[1:33:18] TO MY KNOWLEDGE NO SUPER MAJOR
[1:33:20] CITIES.
[1:33:20] BUT THERE DEFINITELY HAVE BEEN
[1:33:21] MUNICIPAL BANS ACROSS THE
[1:33:23] COUNTRY.
[1:33:23] OKAY.
[1:33:24] YEAH THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I'M
[1:33:25] ASKING IS THE OUTRIGHT BANS I
[1:33:26] THINK THIS ONE HERE THIS
[1:33:29] PROPOSAL WOULD PROHIBIT DATA
[1:33:31] CENTERS IN ALL ZONING DISTRICTS
[1:33:33] .
[1:33:33] I THINK THAT'S THE.
[1:33:34] THE WORDING.
[1:33:35] BUT I GUESS MY QUESTION IS
[1:33:37] WOULD BOSTON BE THE FIRST CITY
[1:33:38] TO DO THAT IN THE COUNTRY?
[1:33:40] SO IF I CAN ALSO JUMP IN
[1:33:41] COUNCILOR UM ONE OTHER EXAMPLE
[1:33:44] IS RELEVANT HERE IS IN PHOENIX
[1:33:45] ARIZONA.
[1:33:46] THEY PASSED A LAW THAT REQUIRES
[1:33:48] A SPECIAL USE PERMIT FROM THEIR
[1:33:49] CITY COUNCIL FOR THE
[1:33:51] CONSTRUCTION OF DATA CENTERS
[1:33:52] OUTSIDE OF AN INDUSTRIAL AREA
[1:33:53] WHICH IS SIMILAR BUT NOT THE
[1:33:55] SAME AS WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED
[1:33:56] HERE.
[1:33:56] OKAY.
[1:33:57] I DID WANT TO ASK A QUESTION TO
[1:33:59] MR DALY.
[1:34:00] I KNOW HE'S NOT ON THE PANEL,
[1:34:01] BUT MY MY QUESTION TO MR.
[1:34:04] MADAM CHAIR, MAY I ASK A
[1:34:06] QUESTION TO MR DALY?
[1:34:06] YES YOU CAN.
[1:34:07] OKAY.
[1:34:08] MY QUESTION IS MIKE IS ON
[1:34:10] OVER THERE.
[1:34:10] YEAH.
[1:34:11] MY QUESTION.
[1:34:11] COULD I.
[1:34:12] ADD IN ONE MORE THING TO
[1:34:13] THAT LAST.
[1:34:13] QUESTION BEFORE WE MOVE ON?
[1:34:16] OKAY.
[1:34:17] UM I WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND
[1:34:18] LOOKING AT THE THE CITY
[1:34:19] OF EVERETT RECENTLY UM, PASSED
[1:34:22] UPDATED ZONING FOR UH.
[1:34:24] DATA CENTERS.
[1:34:25] WHICH INCLUDES THRESHOLDS JUST
[1:34:26] FOR ANOTHER EXAMPLE.
[1:34:28] UM I JUST WANT TO JUST SAY JUST
[1:34:30] LOUD AND PAUSING THE THING
[1:34:31] BEFORE I UM THEIR REGULATORY
[1:34:33] FRAMEWORK IN OTHER CITIES CAN
[1:34:34] BE VERY DIFFERENT FROM OURS.
[1:34:36] WE ARE PETITIONING THAT, YOU
[1:34:37] KNOW, THIS IS A PETITION TO THE
[1:34:39] ZONING COMMISSION WHICH IS
[1:34:40] GOING THROUGH THIS COMMITTEE.
[1:34:41] UM, BOSTON ANY REGULAR MEMBER
[1:34:44] OF THE PUBLIC CAN PETITION THE
[1:34:45] ZONING COMMISSION IN ANY WAY.
[1:34:48] WE ARE ACTUALLY NOT SPECIAL AS
[1:34:49] THE CITY COUNCIL.
[1:34:50] THIS PETITION IS THE SAME AS A
[1:34:52] REGULAR PERSON SUBMITTING A
[1:34:53] PETITION.
[1:34:53] THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT WE CAN
[1:34:55] WAIVE A PUBLIC MEETING.
[1:34:57] UM THERE ARE UM CERTAIN PLACES
[1:34:59] WHERE EVERY DEVELOPMENT GOES
[1:35:01] THROUGH THEIR TOWN SELECT BOARD
[1:35:02] AND THEY HAVE HUNDREDS
[1:35:03] OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THAT
[1:35:04] SELECT BOARD.
[1:35:05] SO EVERY CITY AND MUNICIPALITY
[1:35:07] IS DIFFERENT AND THE POWERS
[1:35:08] THAT THEY HAVE ARE VERY
[1:35:09] DIFFERENT.
[1:35:10] UM I'LL JUST SAY THAT THERE ARE
[1:35:11] A NUMBER OF TOWNS UM, IN
[1:35:13] MASSACHUSETTS THAT HAVE DONE
[1:35:15] EITHER TEMPORARY MORATORIUMS OR
[1:35:18] MORATORIUMS ON DATA CENTERS.
[1:35:19] UM, WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT
[1:35:22] IS HYPERSCALE.
[1:35:22] I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE ALL HAD
[1:35:24] THE SAME DEFINITION AND PART
[1:35:26] OF WHY I WAS SO INTERESTED IN
[1:35:27] HAVING A HEARING ON THIS ZONING
[1:35:29] AMENDMENT IS IT GIVES US THE
[1:35:30] OPPORTUNITY TO TALK THROUGH
[1:35:32] WHAT THOSE DEFINITIONS MIGHT BE
[1:35:34] IF WE WERE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW,
[1:35:36] AS WE'RE HAVING THIS
[1:35:37] CONVERSATION BECAUSE IT'S UM
[1:35:39] NOT EVERY MUNICIPALITY HAS DONE
[1:35:41] SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY.
[1:35:42] A LOT OF MAYORS HAVE MADE HUGE
[1:35:44] ANNOUNCEMENTS, YOU KNOW, IN
[1:35:45] DIFFERENT.
[1:35:46] SO ANYWAYS, I'LL START THE TIME
[1:35:47] BACK AND LET YOU HAVE YOUR TIME
[1:35:49] BACK, COUNCILOR FLYNN.
[1:35:50] BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
[1:35:51] SAY THAT EVERY MUNICIPALITY IS
[1:35:52] DIFFERENT.
[1:35:53] WE AND UH THE I KNOW THE STATE
[1:35:55] OF NEW YORK HAS DONE THE MORE
[1:35:57] MORATORIUM.
[1:35:58] THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF UM
[1:36:00] AND SO UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL
[1:36:02] SET UP DIFFERENTLY AND SO I
[1:36:03] THINK AS A CITY WE'RE NOW
[1:36:05] HAVING THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT
[1:36:07] DEFINITIONS AND SO IT'S NOT A
[1:36:09] SURPRISE THAT THIS CONVERSATION
[1:36:11] IS SO DETAILED BECAUSE IT IS
[1:36:13] SUCH A NUANCED CONVERSATION TO
[1:36:15] BE HAVING.
[1:36:15] SORRY, COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU
[1:36:16] HAVE BEFORE.
[1:36:18] YOU HAD THE QUESTION I HAD TO
[1:36:20] MR DELEON, BESIDES THE BUILDING
[1:36:22] OF A DATA CENTER, ISN'T IT TRUE
[1:36:24] THAT.
[1:36:27] UNION ELECTRICIANS DO PLAY A
[1:36:29] CRITICAL ROLE INSIDE THE DATA
[1:36:31] CENTERS THEY HAVE TO MAINTAIN
[1:36:33] THEY HAVE TO MAINTAIN THEM AS
[1:36:35] WELL.
[1:36:36] CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT
[1:36:39] JOB ENTAILS AND IS THAT A
[1:36:43] CRITICAL PART OF UM.
[1:36:47] A CRITICAL PART OF A DATA
[1:36:48] CENTER IS MAKING SURE THAT THE
[1:36:50] ONGOING MAINTENANCE IS IS
[1:36:51] PROPERLY ADDRESSED.
[1:36:53] UH, THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FOR
[1:36:54] THE FOR THE QUESTION.
[1:36:56] ABSOLUTELY.
[1:36:56] WE HAVE HUNDREDS
[1:36:57] OF ELECTRICIANS WORKING IN UH I
[1:36:59] DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OTHER CITY
[1:37:00] COUNCILS WALK THROUGH THE UH,
[1:37:02] MACY'S BUILDING, BUT UH, MY
[1:37:03] BOSS REPORTED THAT IT WAS A
[1:37:05] VERY SUCCESSFUL WALK AND YOU
[1:37:06] GOT TO MEET SOME OF THE
[1:37:07] ELECTRICIANS THAT ARE UM,
[1:37:09] MAINTAINING THAT, UH, VERY
[1:37:10] CRITICAL DATA.
[1:37:11] THIS ISN'T SO MUCH ABOUT
[1:37:14] TIKTOKS OF SNAPCHATS.
[1:37:15] IT'S MAINLY ABOUT UH, UH,
[1:37:18] DETAILED DATA FOR UH, MASS
[1:37:20] GENERAL HOSPITAL AND
[1:37:22] CANCER RESEARCH AND VERY
[1:37:23] EXTREME IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITIES
[1:37:26] UH, TO TO PROCEED WITH UM THE
[1:37:29] WONDERFUL TECHNOLOGIES UM,
[1:37:31] NEVER MIND SOMEBODY COMPLAINING
[1:37:33] THAT THEIR EMAIL DIDN'T GO
[1:37:34] THROUGH AS FAST AS THEY WANTED
[1:37:35] TO THE INCONVENIENCE FACTOR BUT
[1:37:38] BUT OUR ELECTRICIANS MAINTAIN
[1:37:40] THESE SYSTEMS THAT A CRITICAL
[1:37:42] MODE TO EVERY DAY UM HOSPITALS
[1:37:46] UNIVERSITIES UH TO KEEP THAT SO
[1:37:48] IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE UH
[1:37:50] SKILLED LICENSED ELECTRICIANS
[1:37:53] UH 24 HOURS MAINTAINING UH
[1:37:54] THESE DATA CENTERS.
[1:37:56] UM I KNOW WE WANT TO FOCUS ON
[1:37:58] BOSTON AND I WILL SAY UH, THE
[1:37:59] MOXIE GROUP UP IN IN LAWRENCE
[1:38:02] PLANTED 1500 TREES IN LAWRENCE
[1:38:04] ,WHICH IS INCREDIBLE.
[1:38:05] THE, UH, THEY ARE GETTING, UH,
[1:38:08] KICKED IN LEFT AND RIGHT UP
[1:38:09] THERE BUT THEY HAVE DONE A LOT
[1:38:10] FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
[1:38:11] AND ONE OTHER THING AS
[1:38:13] LISTENING TO THIS PROCESS A THE
[1:38:15] CONCERN ABOUT UH, DIESEL
[1:38:17] GENERATORS, THEY DO RUN MAYBE
[1:38:19] ONCE EVERY SIX WEEKS BUT FOR
[1:38:21] FIVE MINUTES I THINK THAT THESE
[1:38:23] DATA CENTERS ARE NOT RUNNING ON
[1:38:26] ON THESE UM ON THESE DIESEL
[1:38:28] GENERATORS.
[1:38:28] HOWEVER, IT IS CRITICAL
[1:38:30] INFORMATION TO HAVE UM
[1:38:31] IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO A POWER
[1:38:33] OUTAGE SOMEWHERE THAT MORE
[1:38:36] IMPORTANT THAN FACEBOOK AND
[1:38:37] TIKTOKS THAT UH THAT OUR
[1:38:39] UNIVERSITIES AND OUR HOSPITALS
[1:38:40] AND ALL THAT CRITICAL BANKING
[1:38:42] INFORMATION UH DOES NOT HAVE A
[1:38:44] UH A DISRUPTION AT ALL.
[1:38:46] SO THERE BUILDING THE DATA
[1:38:48] CENTERS UH THE SMALLER ONES
[1:38:50] THAT WE HAVE WILL NEVER HAVE A
[1:38:51] MEGA CENTER HERE IN BOSTON OR
[1:38:52] AND AND REALLY IN MASSACHUSETTS
[1:38:55] I WOULD SAY MAYBE IN WESTERN
[1:38:56] MASS IF IT GOES THROUGH BUT UH,
[1:38:58] THEY'RE GREAT JOBS TO BUILD
[1:39:00] THESE DATA CENTERS AND THEY'RE
[1:39:02] CONTINUED REAL GOOD JOB
[1:39:04] OPPORTUNITIES FOR FELLOW BOSTON
[1:39:05] RESIDENTS LIKE ME TO MAINTAIN
[1:39:06] THESE THROUGHOUT MANY YEARS TO
[1:39:08] COME.
[1:39:08] THANK YOU, MR DELANEY.
[1:39:10] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[1:39:11] MAY I ASK ONE MORE FINAL ONE
[1:39:13] MORE QUESTION?
[1:39:14] YES YOU CAN.
[1:39:14] OKAY.
[1:39:15] UM.
[1:39:16] AND I DO WANT TO ASK UM I DO
[1:39:19] WANT TO ASK A QUESTION IF I MAY
[1:39:22] TO UM TO TISH WHO IS THE
[1:39:24] EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BOSTON
[1:39:27] TEACHING HOSPITALS.
[1:39:28] UH, IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.
[1:39:30] UM, JUST SO THE THE DATA
[1:39:33] CENTERS SAY THE DATA CENTER IN
[1:39:36] DOWNTOWN BOSTON JUST SO WE ARE
[1:39:39] EDUCATING THE PUBLIC THAT DATA
[1:39:41] CENTER IS HOLDING INFORMATION
[1:39:45] DATA FROM HOSPITALS, COLLEGES.
[1:39:47] IS IT.
[1:39:48] CRITICAL TO HAVE THAT DATA
[1:39:50] STORED OFFSITE.
[1:39:52] FROM FROM A HOSPITAL FOR
[1:39:55] VARIOUS REASONS.
[1:39:56] MAYBE IT'S SAFETY.
[1:39:57] MAYBE IT'S MAYBE IT NEEDS TO BE
[1:39:59] AT THIS PLACE.
[1:40:00] BUT IS IT CRITICAL TO HAVE THAT
[1:40:02] TYPE OF DATA CENTER.
[1:40:05] OFFSITE IN NOT NOT PHYSICALLY
[1:40:08] AT THE HOSPITAL ITSELF?
[1:40:10] I, I, I DID HAVE THE
[1:40:11] OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT THE
[1:40:13] DOWNTOWN BOSTON SITE AND TALK
[1:40:16] TO MANY OF THE WORKERS WHO WELL
[1:40:18] I WAS IMPRESSED WITH THE
[1:40:20] WORKERS THERE THE
[1:40:20] PROFESSIONALISM.
[1:40:21] BUT CAN YOU JUST TALK TO
[1:40:23] ME ABOUT WHY IT'S CRITICAL TO
[1:40:24] HAVE SOMETHING OFFSITE COMPARED
[1:40:27] TO ONSITE?
[1:40:28] I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH EXPERTISE
[1:40:30] TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION
[1:40:33] OFFSITE.
[1:40:33] I KNOW IT'S CRITICAL TO THE
[1:40:35] HOSPITALS UH, WHETHER IT'S
[1:40:39] SOMETHING THEY COULD REPLICATE
[1:40:41] ON SITE.
[1:40:42] I DON'T KNOW, BUT I'M HAPPY TO
[1:40:44] GET THAT INFORMATION BACK TO
[1:40:45] YOU IN THE CHAIR.
[1:40:46] OF THE PROFESSOR.
[1:40:47] OKAY.
[1:40:48] WOULD YOU LIKE.
[1:40:48] TO SO.
[1:40:49] I CAN I CAN BRIEFLY COMMENT NOT
[1:40:51] SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE
[1:40:52] HOSPITALS BUT GENERALLY
[1:40:54] MAINTAINING YOUR OWN IT YOUR
[1:40:56] OWN INFRASTRUCTURE UH, BECOMES
[1:40:58] VERY EXPENSIVE.
[1:40:59] OKAY.
[1:40:59] SO THERE'S A LOT
[1:41:01] OF CONSULTATION.
[1:41:01] UM, SO THIS IS ONE OF THE
[1:41:03] REASONS FPC THE MASSACHUSETTS
[1:41:05] GREEN HIGH PERFORMANCE
[1:41:06] COMPUTING CENTER WAS BUILT SO
[1:41:08] THAT UNIVERSITIES MOVED THEIR
[1:41:11] INDIVIDUAL SERVER ROOMS MOSTLY
[1:41:12] BY LARGE THERE UH IT BECOMES
[1:41:15] MUCH CHEAPER, UH.
[1:41:16] SAFER.
[1:41:17] MORE SECURE, MORE UP TO DATE
[1:41:18] TO MAINTAIN IT UH OTHERWISE
[1:41:21] EACH ENTITY WOULD NEED TO
[1:41:23] ESSENTIALLY RUN THEIR OWN CLOUD
[1:41:24] SERVICE WHICH WHICH UH REQUIRES
[1:41:25] A LOT OF RESOURCES.
[1:41:27] EXCELLENT.
[1:41:28] THANK YOU.
[1:41:28] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[1:41:29] THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME AN
[1:41:31] EXTRA COUPLE OF MINUTES I
[1:41:32] APPRECIATE IT.
[1:41:32] THANK YOU SO MUCH,
[1:41:33] COUNCILOR FLYNN.
[1:41:34] UM, I DID WANT TO JUST FOLLOW
[1:41:35] UP ON THAT QUESTION.
[1:41:36] CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT, UM,
[1:41:39] PROFESSOR, WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT
[1:41:41] SORT OF BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY I YOU
[1:41:43] KNOW, I'VE BEEN STUDYING THIS
[1:41:44] FOR THE LAST WEEK, BUT I DON'T
[1:41:45] KNOW WHETHER YOU ARE A LEADING
[1:41:47] EXPERT ON, UM, BOTH I AND ON
[1:41:51] GREEN BUILDING FOR, UM, DATA
[1:41:54] CENTERS.
[1:41:55] I'M CURIOUS SORT OF WHAT YOU
[1:41:57] WOULD PUT AS THE THRESHOLD FOR
[1:41:59] A HYPER SCALE DATA CENTER
[1:42:01] VERSUS, UH, YOU KNOW, A SMALLER
[1:42:04] DATA CENTER AND ALSO WHAT THE.
[1:42:06] WHAT.
[1:42:06] HOW YOU WOULD DEFINE AN
[1:42:07] INFERENCE POINT AND HOW YOU CAN
[1:42:10] DESCRIBE HOW LIKE INFERENCE
[1:42:11] POINTS AND OTHER UM COMPUTING
[1:42:14] CENTERS COMMUNICATE WITH A
[1:42:16] LARGER DATA CENTER JUST FOR US
[1:42:18] TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS
[1:42:19] INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE MIGHT
[1:42:20] NEED IN BOSTON THAT ISN'T
[1:42:22] NECESSARILY A SORT OF LARGER
[1:42:23] SCALE DATA CENTER.
[1:42:25] UH GREAT QUESTION.
[1:42:27] I THINK IN TERMS OF THE FIRST
[1:42:28] QUESTION OF WHERE IS THE
[1:42:30] THRESHOLD THAT SEPARATES A
[1:42:31] LARGE HYPERSCALER FROM A
[1:42:33] SMALLER DATA CENTER?
[1:42:35] UM, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A
[1:42:36] GOLDEN NUMBER BUT THERE ARE
[1:42:37] VARIOUS STUDIES OR UH, STATES
[1:42:39] HAVE VARIOUS REGULATIONS SOME
[1:42:41] PLACE THE NUMBER AT 75MW, SOME
[1:42:43] AT 50 UH SOME AT LOWER NUMBER.
[1:42:46] UH SO AT THIS DEPENDS ON THE
[1:42:48] PARTICULAR UH GRIDS AND UH ON
[1:42:50] WHAT IS CONSIDERED A LARGE LOAD
[1:42:53] UH GENERALLY WE ARE LOOKING
[1:42:54] INTO YOU KNOW, 50 PLUS UH
[1:42:56] MEGAWATTS IN TERMS OF THE
[1:42:58] INFERENCE POINT UH, THERE IS UM
[1:43:01] INCREASING NEED FOR AI AND
[1:43:03] COMPUTING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A
[1:43:05] VARIETY OF REASONS.
[1:43:06] WE TALKED ABOUT HOSPITALS,
[1:43:07] SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH FOR LOW
[1:43:09] ENFORCEMENT FOR MANY OTHER
[1:43:11] APPLICATIONS AND SOME OF.
[1:43:12] THESE UH, WILL NEED TO HAVE
[1:43:15] LOCAL UH, AS YOU CALL INFERENCE
[1:43:17] POINTS OR EDGE DATA CENTERS AS
[1:43:19] WE ALSO CALL THEM.
[1:43:21] UM, THIS IS NECESSARY BECAUSE
[1:43:22] SOME OF THE APPLICATIONS THAT
[1:43:24] WE RUN ARE LOW LATENCY.
[1:43:26] SO YOU NEED TO HAVE A LOCAL
[1:43:27] DATA CENTER TO UM, ACCESS UH
[1:43:31] THERE ARE ALSO DATA CENTERS
[1:43:32] THAT NEED TO BE CONNECTED TO UH
[1:43:35] RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE
[1:43:36] LABORATORY EQUIPMENT UH, AND
[1:43:38] THE LIKE.
[1:43:39] SO AGAIN, UH THEY NEED TO BE
[1:43:40] LOCAL.
[1:43:41] CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT JUST FOR
[1:43:42] LIKE THE.
[1:43:44] I WOULD SAY THE.
[1:43:45] PUBLIC BUT I'M LIKE ME TOO.
[1:43:46] UM CAN YOU DESCRIBE LIKE WHAT
[1:43:48] THOSE MIGHT BE USED FOR?
[1:43:49] YES.
[1:43:50] LIKE SOME SAMPLES.
[1:43:51] YEAH SURE SURE.
[1:43:52] FOR INSTANCE, UM, BIOMEDICAL
[1:43:55] RESEARCH UH, MAY HAVE, UH, LAB
[1:43:58] EQUIPMENT DRUG DISCOVERY, UM
[1:44:02] COMPUTING SOFTWARE MIGHT NEED
[1:44:04] TO EVENTUALLY CONNECT TO
[1:44:05] LABORATORY EQUIPMENT, UH, FOR
[1:44:08] EXPERIMENTATION.
[1:44:08] THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE.
[1:44:10] UH, THERE COULD BE MEDICAL
[1:44:12] APPLICATIONS WHERE YOU KNOW,
[1:44:14] EVENTUALLY THE COMPUTATIONAL
[1:44:16] UH, ACTIVITIES WE ARE DOING MAY
[1:44:18] NEED TO CONNECT TO PHYSICAL
[1:44:19] DEVICES.
[1:44:20] UM AND AGAIN LABORATORY
[1:44:22] EQUIPMENT FOR EXPERIMENTS, UM.
[1:44:24] AND THE.
[1:44:25] LIKE UH, SO UH I MENTIONED
[1:44:28] LOW LATENCY APPLICATIONS.
[1:44:30] I MENTIONED THE NEED TO CONNECT
[1:44:31] TO PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
[1:44:33] AND THE THIRD THING IS.
[1:44:35] UM.
[1:44:35] SOME OF THE DATA IS
[1:44:37] SENSITIVE AND IS NOT EASILY
[1:44:39] OFFLOADED TO REMOTE LOCATIONS.
[1:44:42] UH, SO LIKE A CT OR CAT SCAN OR
[1:44:44] AN MRI MEDICAL.
[1:44:45] DATA FINANCE DATA.
[1:44:47] WHEN.
[1:44:47] WE LOOK INTO EXAMPLES WE TALKED
[1:44:48] ABOUT CITIES AS EXAMPLES.
[1:44:50] NEW YORK CITY HAS A LARGE
[1:44:51] NUMBER OF DATA CENTERS AND A
[1:44:53] LOT OF THE FINANCE INDUSTRY UM
[1:44:56] ,HOLD THEIR DATA SENSITIVE
[1:44:58] DATA IN NEW YORK CITY.
[1:45:00] UH, SO AND ONE CAN GIVE MORE
[1:45:02] EXAMPLES.
[1:45:03] SO NOT ALL COMPUTING NEEDS TO
[1:45:04] BE LOCAL.
[1:45:05] SO COMPUTING IS ACTUALLY VERY
[1:45:06] FLEXIBLE.
[1:45:07] YOU CAN MOVE IT AROUND YOU KNOW
[1:45:09] YOU CAN ACCESS DIFFERENT
[1:45:10] LOCATIONS HOWEVER LOCAL
[1:45:12] INFRASTRUCTURE UH ALSO MATTERS
[1:45:15] SO SOME LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE IS
[1:45:16] NEEDED.
[1:45:17] WHAT'S THE THRESHOLD HOW MUCH
[1:45:18] HEADROOM WE.
[1:45:19] HAVE IN BOSTON.
[1:45:20] TO BUILD SAFELY DATA CENTERS I
[1:45:22] DON'T KNOW BUT IT CAN CERTAINLY
[1:45:24] BE STUDIED AND THESE THRESHOLDS
[1:45:26] CAN BE DETERMINED UM BASED ON
[1:45:28] MEASUREMENTS SCIENTIFICALLY
[1:45:30] ESSENTIALLY.
[1:45:31] AND I KNOW YOU'RE NOT IN THE
[1:45:33] MEDICAL INDUSTRY.
[1:45:34] YOU KNOW YOU'RE STUDYING AND
[1:45:35] THE.
[1:45:35] COMPUTER ENGINEER.
[1:45:36] YEAH, YOU'RE A PROFESSOR,
[1:45:37] YOU'RE STUDYING YOU'RE
[1:45:38] COMPUTING ENGINEER AND YOU ALSO
[1:45:40] HAVE YOUR OWN AI COMPANY.
[1:45:42] SO I'M JUST KIND OF SO I I I'M
[1:45:44] JUST CURIOUS UM, I HEAR A LOT
[1:45:48] ABOUT COMPUTING CENTERS AND AND
[1:45:50] WHAT DO YOU THINK LIKE IN TERMS
[1:45:52] OF LIKE HOW MUCH MEGABYTES YOU
[1:45:54] KNOW, LIKE INSIDE A HOSPITAL OR
[1:45:56] INSIDE A UNIVERSITY?
[1:45:58] UM, SORT OF WHAT HOW MANY
[1:46:00] MEGAWATTS DO YOU THINK THOSE
[1:46:01] ARE USING?
[1:46:02] BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE
[1:46:03] A SPECIAL PERMITTING OPTION TO
[1:46:06] PERMIT THAT AND I DON'T EVEN
[1:46:07] KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN AS A CITY
[1:46:09] SORT OF TRACKING HOW YOU KNOW,
[1:46:11] WHERE THESE COMPUTATIONAL
[1:46:13] CENTERS ARE LOCATED.
[1:46:16] SO UM.
[1:46:17] I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBER.
[1:46:19] UM.
[1:46:20] UH, GENERALLY BOSTON IS
[1:46:21] MENTIONED BEFORE HAS A HANDFUL
[1:46:23] OF DATA CENTERS GREATER BOSTON
[1:46:24] AREA SO HAS OVER 40 DATA
[1:46:27] CENTERS.
[1:46:28] UM, LAST TIME I CHECKED AND
[1:46:30] THAT'S UM YOU KNOW, ALL AROUND
[1:46:32] BOSTON ESSENTIALLY SIZE CHANGES
[1:46:34] FROM A FEW MEGAWATTS UH, TO
[1:46:38] TENS OF MEGAWATTS TO IF YOU
[1:46:40] LOOK AT HYPERSCALERS WE ARE
[1:46:41] TALKING ABOUT 100 MEGAWATT PLUS
[1:46:43] TYPICALLY SO I DON'T KNOW THE
[1:46:45] CURRENT DATA CENTER LOAD IN
[1:46:46] BOSTON.
[1:46:47] BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE
[1:46:48] COMPUTING FACILITY WE TALK
[1:46:50] ABOUT UH TYPICALLY A MEGAWATT
[1:46:52] AND BULB UH PCC UM I BELIEVE
[1:46:56] OPERATES AT SEVERAL MEGAWATTS
[1:46:58] RIGHT NOW AND UH WITH THE AI
[1:47:00] HUB.
[1:47:01] UM IT.
[1:47:02] MIGHT EXPAND A FEW MORE
[1:47:03] MEGAWATTS.
[1:47:04] SO RELATIVELY IT'S A SMALL DATA
[1:47:06] CENTER AS FAR AS DATA CENTERS
[1:47:07] GO.
[1:47:10] TO.
[1:47:11] OH YEAH WHEN LET LET HER
[1:47:13] FINISH.
[1:47:13] YEAH.
[1:47:14] SO GENERALLY UH LIKE I WAS
[1:47:16] MENTIONING THERE IS NO UM
[1:47:18] NUMBER ON TOP OF MY HEAD FOR
[1:47:19] BOSTON BUT IT'S CERTAINLY UM
[1:47:22] CAN BE STUDIED HOW MUCH DATA
[1:47:24] CENTERS.
[1:47:26] UM CAN BE ALLOWED SAFELY IN
[1:47:28] TERMS OF THE GRID IMPACT IN
[1:47:29] TERMS OF OTHER IMPACTS UH,
[1:47:31] WITHIN BOSTON CITY.
[1:47:33] SO OKAY.
[1:47:33] THANK YOU SO MUCH SORRY MARY.
[1:47:36] SO WHEN LOWELL LAW ENACTED ITS
[1:47:38] DATA CENTER MORATORIUM, UH,
[1:47:41] WE'VE BEEN THROUGH A PROCESS
[1:47:42] AND HAD SIMILAR DISCUSSIONS AND
[1:47:46] SO WE.
[1:47:47] HAVE LIKE TWO OPTIONS.
[1:47:48] THERE'S NOT BEEN A
[1:47:49] DISAGREEMENT YET BUT THE
[1:47:51] REGULATE OPTION SAYS ANYTHING
[1:47:54] HIGHER THAN 15MW SO.
[1:47:59] YEAH.
[1:48:00] AND I IMAGINE THAT THERE ARE
[1:48:01] PROBABLY SOME OVER 15MW THAT WE
[1:48:03] HAVE NOT ESPECIALLY PERMITTED
[1:48:06] NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE THEY'VE
[1:48:07] BEEN INSIDE ANOTHER THING THAT
[1:48:09] WE'VE PERMITTED PROBABLY.
[1:48:10] NOT IN BOSTON.
[1:48:11] I MEAN I DON'T THINK THERE ARE
[1:48:14] LARGE HIDDEN DATA CENTERS IN
[1:48:15] BOSTON.
[1:48:16] IT'S JUST IT'S A LOT
[1:48:17] OF ELECTRICITY.
[1:48:18] UM, BECAUSE I MEAN THEY NEED TO
[1:48:21] BE INTERCONNECTED TO POWER IT.
[1:48:23] YEAH, YEAH.
[1:48:24] UH, THERE COULD BE SMALL
[1:48:25] FACILITIES OF A FEW MEGAWATTS
[1:48:27] THAT ARE MAYBE NOT KNOWN ABOUT,
[1:48:29] BUT I DON'T EXPECT TO FIND ANY
[1:48:30] LARGE DATA CENTER FACILITIES IN
[1:48:33] BOSTON THAT.
[1:48:33] THANK YOU.
[1:48:33] YEAH.
[1:48:34] IT'S HARD FOR ME TO WRAP MY
[1:48:35] HEAD AROUND WHAT A FEW
[1:48:36] MEGAWATTS EVEN MEANS.
[1:48:37] SO, UM, TRISTAN.
[1:48:38] UM.
[1:48:39] I WANT TO APOLOGIZE.
[1:48:40] I'M GOING TO HAVE TO STEP OUT
[1:48:41] TO CATCH A FLIGHT FOR A
[1:48:43] CONFERENCE ON DATA CENTERS.
[1:48:44] UM, I WANTED TO JUST MAKE, UH,
[1:48:45] TWO POINTS BEFORE I LEAVE.
[1:48:47] UH.
[1:48:47] ONE IS AGAIN, AS WE THINK ABOUT
[1:48:49] THE QUESTION OF WHAT THE RISK
[1:48:50] IS TO BOSTON, THERE ARE NO
[1:48:51] CURRENT MAJOR PROPOSALS, BUT WE
[1:48:53] DO HAVE THE LARGER SALES AND
[1:48:54] USE TAX EXEMPTION AND THERE HAS
[1:48:56] BEEN TONS OF INTEREST SUBMITTED
[1:48:57] TO THE UTILITIES.
[1:48:58] SO I'M SPEAKING WITH EVERSOURCE
[1:49:00] NATIONAL GRID AND UNTIL THEY'VE
[1:49:01] GOTTEN ALMOST 5000MW OF DATA
[1:49:04] CENTER PROPOSALS THOSE AREN'T
[1:49:06] ALL REAL.
[1:49:06] THEY LIKE TO SHOP AROUND BUT
[1:49:08] THAT'S MULTIPLES OF WHAT IT
[1:49:09] TAKES TO POWER ALL THE HOMES IN
[1:49:11] OUR STATE.
[1:49:11] AND SO WE JUST WANT TO BE
[1:49:13] MINDFUL OF BEING PROACTIVE AND
[1:49:14] PART OF THE WAY WE TRY TO DO
[1:49:15] THAT.
[1:49:16] TO ANSWER A QUESTION THAT
[1:49:17] COUNCILOR WEBER ASKED EARLIER,
[1:49:18] WHAT ADVOCACY CAN YOU ALL DO TO
[1:49:20] THE STATE LEGISLATURE?
[1:49:20] WE AS ADVOCATES HAVE BEEN
[1:49:22] WORKING UH WITH SENATOR HOWARD
[1:49:24] AND SHE HAD SOME AMENDMENT
[1:49:25] LANGUAGE THAT WE HAVE BEEN
[1:49:27] TRYING TO ADVANCE THROUGH THE
[1:49:29] UM ENERGY BILL AND CURRENTLY
[1:49:30] THE HOUSE HAS PASSED SOME
[1:49:32] LANGUAGE THAT WOULD REQUIRE 85%
[1:49:34] CLEAN ENERGY GENERATION AND
[1:49:36] PROTECTING COSTS TO RATEPAYERS.
[1:49:38] THE SENATE HAS PASSED A
[1:49:39] SOMEWHAT BROADER SET
[1:49:41] OF PROTECTIONS BUT HAS TIED IT
[1:49:42] TO THE SALES AND USE TAX
[1:49:43] EXEMPTION.
[1:49:44] SO WHAT WE BELIEVE IS THAT ALL
[1:49:46] DATA CENTERS WHETHER OR NOT YOU
[1:49:47] ACCEPT THE BRIBE OF A TAX AS A
[1:49:49] TAX EXEMPTION YOU STILL MEET
[1:49:51] HIGH STANDARDS.
[1:49:51] AND SO WE WANT TO SEE A
[1:49:53] COMBINATION OF SENATOR HOWARD'S
[1:49:54] AMENDMENT LANGUAGE 62 UH, WITH
[1:49:57] THE HOUSE'S BROADER APPROACH.
[1:49:58] THAT'S VERY HELPFUL.
[1:49:59] AND TRISTAN, THANK YOU FOR
[1:50:01] PROVERBIALLY BEING AT THE TABLE
[1:50:02] WITH US AND I HOPE YOU HAVE A
[1:50:03] SAFE FLIGHT.
[1:50:04] THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[1:50:05] SO WE'RE GOING TO GO TO
[1:50:06] COUNCILOR WEBER.
[1:50:06] UM, YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
[1:50:08] SURE.
[1:50:09] UH, PROFESSOR.
[1:50:11] AM I PRONOUNCING THAT RIGHT?
[1:50:12] NOT TOO SURE.
[1:50:13] YES.
[1:50:13] SORRY.
[1:50:14] UM UH, SO JUST.
[1:50:16] IN TERMS.
[1:50:17] OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN
[1:50:18] TERMS OF THE FUTURE, I THINK A
[1:50:19] LOT OF THE YOU KNOW, SORT
[1:50:22] OF THE ANXIETY IS LIKE THE EYE
[1:50:24] IS REALLY YOU KNOW, SORT OF ON
[1:50:26] THE SCENE AND IT'S NEW AND
[1:50:27] SEEMS TO BE GROWING
[1:50:28] EXPONENTIALLY AND UM, YOU KNOW
[1:50:31] ,SO WHAT DO YOU THINK LIKE
[1:50:32] FIVE YEARS FROM NOW LIKE WHAT
[1:50:34] ARE WE I READ ONE STUDY THAT WE
[1:50:37] WERE GOING TO DOUBLE OUR DATA
[1:50:38] CENTER CAPACITY IN THE COUNTRY
[1:50:41] UH, IN THE NEXT 4 OR 5 YEARS.
[1:50:44] IS THAT BUT YOU KNOW, DO YOU
[1:50:46] THINK WHAT DO YOU THINK WE'RE
[1:50:48] GOING TO BE SEEING IN TERMS
[1:50:49] OF DATA CENTERS?
[1:50:50] YES, WE ARE SEEING TREMENDOUS
[1:50:52] UH, DEMAND UH, FOR AI DATA
[1:50:54] CENTERS WITH AI GROWTH.
[1:50:56] UM.
[1:50:56] IT'S COMPLETELY UNFORESEEN
[1:50:58] AND THE NUMBERS UM YOU QUOTED
[1:51:00] ARE RIGHT THAT THE THE
[1:51:02] EXPECTATION IS TO DOUBLE UH, IN
[1:51:05] THE NEXT FEW YEARS UH, THE
[1:51:06] TOTAL CAPACITY OF DATA CENTERS
[1:51:09] UH, THIS IS BECAUSE AI IS
[1:51:10] BECOMING VERY PERVASIVE.
[1:51:12] UM, AND UM IT'S INCREASINGLY
[1:51:14] BEING USED IN A LOT
[1:51:16] OF DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS,
[1:51:16] DIFFERENT SECTORS.
[1:51:18] AND I ALSO CONSUMES UM I MEAN
[1:51:21] NEEDS TO DO A LOT OF MASS
[1:51:23] BASICALLY A LOT
[1:51:24] OF COMPUTATIONS.
[1:51:25] THEREFORE THE RESOURCES IT
[1:51:26] REQUIRES IS LARGER THAN THE
[1:51:28] COMPUTE NEED TO BE TYPICALLY
[1:51:29] HAD OR DONE.
[1:51:30] UM, OVER THE IN THE PAST.
[1:51:33] AND I GUESS.
[1:51:34] IS THERE ANY HOPE THAT ALL THAT
[1:51:36] DATA AND THE AI YOU KNOW WILL
[1:51:38] WILL INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY?
[1:51:40] YOU KNOW, LIKE THE ENERGY
[1:51:41] EFFICIENCY OF THE DATA CENTERS
[1:51:43] THEMSELVES?
[1:51:43] YES OR NO?
[1:51:45] SO ENERGY EFFICIENCY A COUPLE
[1:51:46] OF THINGS ONE ENERGY EFFICIENCY
[1:51:47] IS GOING TO INCREASE.
[1:51:49] UH IT ALWAYS DOES WITH HARDWARE
[1:51:50] WITH SOFTWARE WE ALWAYS MANAGE
[1:51:52] TO MAKE OUR COMPUTER SYSTEMS
[1:51:54] BETTER.
[1:51:54] BUT TYPICALLY EFFICIENCY
[1:51:56] DOESN'T NECESSARILY CURB THE
[1:51:58] DEMAND.
[1:51:59] UH BECAUSE WHEN WE MAKE MORE
[1:52:00] EFFICIENT USE OF OUR COMPUTING
[1:52:01] WE FIND MORE USES TO APPLY IT
[1:52:03] EVERYWHERE.
[1:52:05] UM, WE SEE TREMENDOUS DEMAND
[1:52:07] GROWTH.
[1:52:07] UH, THIS IS WHY I'M WORKING ON
[1:52:09] SPECIFICALLY POWER FLEXIBILITY
[1:52:11] BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK INTO THE
[1:52:12] POWER GRID TODAY IT'S NOT LIKE
[1:52:14] THERE ISN'T POWER.
[1:52:16] THERE IS POWER.
[1:52:17] UM, MOST OF THE TIME OUR POWER
[1:52:19] GRID IS UTILIZED 30 TO 50% UM
[1:52:22] OF ITS CAPACITY BUT THERE ARE
[1:52:25] SMALL NUMBER OF HOURS EVERY
[1:52:27] YEAR WHERE WE HIT THE PEAK.
[1:52:29] UH, TYPICAL EXAMPLE IS HOT
[1:52:31] SUMMER DAY IN A HOT AREA OR
[1:52:32] COLD WINTER DAY.
[1:52:34] UM, WE HAVE ELECTRIFIED HEATING
[1:52:36] HERE, RIGHT?
[1:52:37] SO THOSE FEW NUMBER OF HOURS IT
[1:52:40] ANNUALLY IS THE TIME WE HIT THE
[1:52:42] PEAK NOW THE GRID UPGRADES USED
[1:52:44] TO HAPPEN.
[1:52:45] UH, ASSUMING DATA CENTERS CAN
[1:52:46] CONSUME ALL THE CAPACITY THAT
[1:52:49] THEY HAVE IF IT'S A 100
[1:52:50] MEGAWATT IS CAN CONSUME 100MW.
[1:52:52] THIS IS THE OLD MODEL THAT WE
[1:52:54] NEED TO CHANGE BECAUSE IT
[1:52:57] REQUIRES DOING VERY EXPENSIVE
[1:52:58] GRID UPGRADES.
[1:52:59] SO WE CAN USE THE AVAILABLE
[1:53:01] POWER WE HAVE TODAY IN A MUCH
[1:53:02] BETTER WAY.
[1:53:03] SO THAT'S WHY THE DEMAND IS
[1:53:05] THERE.
[1:53:05] THE EFFICIENCY WILL COME THAT'S
[1:53:07] STILL GOING TO UM THERE'S STILL
[1:53:10] GOING TO BE SUBSTANTIAL DEMAND.
[1:53:12] SO WE NEED TO CHANGE HOW WE
[1:53:13] POWER DATA CENTERS.
[1:53:14] THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE IN AND
[1:53:16] THAT'S WHAT I UH, HAVE BEEN
[1:53:18] SEEING THAT IT'S POSSIBLE UM,
[1:53:20] BASICALLY TO CHANGE HOW WE
[1:53:21] POWER OUR DATA CENTERS.
[1:53:23] AND JUST ON THE TOPIC
[1:53:24] OF EFFICIENCY, IF I COULD, UM,
[1:53:26] YOU KNOW, JUST UM WE HAVE A
[1:53:27] NUMBER OF EXISTING POLICIES
[1:53:28] HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THAT
[1:53:30] ARE QUITE UNIQUE COMPARED TO
[1:53:31] OTHER CITIES AND I'M THINKING
[1:53:33] NOTABLY ABOUT BERTO ABOUT OUR
[1:53:34] NET ZERO ZONING CODE ARTICLE 37
[1:53:37] AND THEN THE SPECIALIZED ENERGY
[1:53:38] CODE.
[1:53:39] SO THE COMBINATION OF ALL THESE
[1:53:40] THINGS MEANS ANY NEW
[1:53:42] CONSTRUCTION OF ANY KIND,
[1:53:43] INCLUDING DATA CENTERS ARE
[1:53:44] GOING TO BE HIGHLY ENERGY
[1:53:46] EFFICIENT AND THEY'RE REQUIRED
[1:53:47] TO BE NET ZERO EMISSIONS ON DAY
[1:53:50] ONE IF THEY'RE BUILT NOW.
[1:53:52] SO UH, THAT WOULD PUT THESE NEW
[1:53:53] CONSTRUCTIONS SUBSTANTIALLY
[1:53:54] EVEN MORE EFFICIENT THAN THE
[1:53:56] EXISTING DATA CENTERS THAT
[1:53:57] ALREADY EXIST IN THE CITY.
[1:53:58] UM, AND I THINK THOSE ARE THAT
[1:54:00] IS A UNIQUE THING ABOUT BOSTON
[1:54:02] AND A SMALL NUMBER OF OTHER
[1:54:03] CITIES NATIONALLY.
[1:54:05] OKAY.
[1:54:06] UH, YES YES, YES.
[1:54:08] SO THE OUTLOOK ON DATA CENTERS
[1:54:11] AND AI IS YOU KNOW, THERE'S
[1:54:13] GOING TO BE A LOT OF THIS STUFF
[1:54:15] HAPPENING.
[1:54:15] BUT REMEMBER EVERY BOOM HAS A
[1:54:18] BUST AND WHEN THAT BUST HAPPENS
[1:54:21] IT'S THE CITY OF BOSTON AND ITS
[1:54:24] RESIDENTS THAT WILL BE LEFT
[1:54:26] DEALING WITH DECOMMISSIONING.
[1:54:28] SO IT'S IMPORTANT EVEN AS YOU
[1:54:31] THINK UH ABOUT THE FUTURE
[1:54:33] YOU'LL ASK YOURSELVES OF WHO
[1:54:35] WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT.
[1:54:38] UH, DATA CENTER WHEN THE OWNERS
[1:54:43] PACK UP, UH, AND GO.
[1:54:45] WELL, YEAH, I GUESS SO.
[1:54:47] MAYBE MICHELLE AND MARY MY
[1:54:49] QUESTION JUST LOOKING AT THIS
[1:54:50] ON A STRICTLY, YOU KNOW,
[1:54:52] MUNICIPAL BASIS THAT I CAN
[1:54:55] UNDERSTAND WHY WE DO THAT BUT
[1:54:56] LIKE IF IF LOWELL BANS DATA
[1:54:59] CENTERS BUT CHELMSFORD PUTS IN
[1:55:03] 5 OR 6 YOU KNOW I GET IT.
[1:55:04] DOESN'T THAT HAVE AN IMPACT ON
[1:55:06] LOWELL?
[1:55:08] UM AND AND SO SO SHOULD WE BE
[1:55:11] LOOKING MORE AT THE STATE OR
[1:55:12] YOU KNOW, UH I DON'T KNOW HOW
[1:55:15] TO THINK ABOUT THIS ISSUE IN
[1:55:17] LIGHT OF THAT.
[1:55:18] YOU CAN START MARY.
[1:55:19] OKAY.
[1:55:20] SO, UH, YOU HAVE TO
[1:55:22] UNDERSTAND I'M ONE OF THE TEN
[1:55:23] PEOPLE THAT SUED THE DEPARTMENT
[1:55:25] OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
[1:55:26] SO I DON'T HAVE A LOT
[1:55:28] OF CONFIDENCE IN THE STATE AND,
[1:55:31] UH, MY FIRM BELIEF IS THAT A
[1:55:35] CITY NEEDS TO BE VERY WELL
[1:55:39] FORTIFIED FOR THE PROTECTION
[1:55:41] OF ITS OWN PEOPLE.
[1:55:43] THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT, UH, WE
[1:55:46] ARE NOT WORKING OR WE WILL NOT
[1:55:48] TRY TO MAKE SURE THE STATE HAS
[1:55:50] THE RIGHT LAWS.
[1:55:52] BUT I THINK THAT WHEN IT COMES
[1:55:54] TO THIS, UH, ANY TYPE
[1:55:57] OF INDUSTRIAL GROWTH IN YOUR
[1:56:00] CITY, THE CITY NEEDS TO BE
[1:56:02] STRONG AND FIRM.
[1:56:04] AND THAT'S WHY THE EXECUTIVE
[1:56:06] ORDER THAT THE GOVERNOR SIGNED
[1:56:09] ,UH, MADE A LOT OF US HAPPY
[1:56:12] BECAUSE IT SAID THAT MORE POWER
[1:56:15] YOU KNOW, THE LOCAL PEOPLE ARE
[1:56:17] THE ONES WHO ARE FAST.
[1:56:19] IF THEY DON'T WANT IT, THEN IT
[1:56:21] WILL NOT HAPPEN.
[1:56:22] WHICH MEANS THAT IF WE WANT
[1:56:25] DEVELOPMENT EVEN OF DATA
[1:56:27] CENTERS THEN WE HAVE TO DO IT
[1:56:29] RIGHT.
[1:56:29] AND THE MUNICIPALITIES THE ONE
[1:56:31] THAT LEADS OKAY.
[1:56:33] YEAH THAT'S THE ONE.
[1:56:35] THING I.
[1:56:38] I THINK.
[1:56:38] I'M SORRY.
[1:56:39] CAN YOU TURN ON THIS?
[1:56:40] I'M SORRY.
[1:56:41] WE JUST WE HAVE NO.
[1:56:42] YEAH.
[1:56:43] OKAY.
[1:56:43] THE PRESS THE ON BUT I'M NOT
[1:56:45] SURE IS THIS ONE OKAY?
[1:56:48] UM, ONE THING THAT I WOULD ADD
[1:56:50] TO THAT IN TERMS OF PROTECTIONS
[1:56:52] FOR RATEPAYERS FOR INCREASING
[1:56:54] UH, ELECTRICITY COSTS WITH UM
[1:56:58] DEMAND INCREASING USE FROM UH
[1:57:01] DATA CENTERS AND I THAT THAT
[1:57:02] THE CITY COULD UM HAVE
[1:57:06] CONVERSATIONS AND PARTNER WITH
[1:57:07] UH THE DPU ON IS LARGE LOAD
[1:57:10] TARIFFS.
[1:57:11] UM AND I CAN JUST GO OVER
[1:57:13] QUICKLY WHAT THE DEFINITION
[1:57:14] OF THAT IS.
[1:57:15] SO THERE ARE REGULAR UH,
[1:57:17] REGULATORY APPROVED RATE
[1:57:19] STRUCTURES FOR LARGE ELECTRIC
[1:57:20] CUSTOMERS THAT ENSURE THAT THEY
[1:57:23] ARE PAYING UH THE COSTS FOR
[1:57:25] THAT INFRASTRUCTURE.
[1:57:26] AND THIS IS ALSO, UM,
[1:57:28] PARTICULARLY A GOOD PROTECTION
[1:57:30] FOR UM, SPECULATIVE UH, DATA
[1:57:34] CENTER PROJECTS.
[1:57:35] UH, TO MARY'S POINT ABOUT THE
[1:57:37] BOOM HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
[1:57:39] UM, WE DEFINITELY WOULD WANT
[1:57:40] THE CITY TO BE PROTECTED, UM,
[1:57:43] FOR MANY PROPOSED PROJECTS.
[1:57:45] WHICH ULTIMATELY UH.
[1:57:48] DID NOT GO THROUGH OR DID NOT
[1:57:51] UH USE THE AMOUNT OF POWER THAT
[1:57:53] THEY PROJECTED AND PAY FOR THAT
[1:57:55] IN ADVANCE SO THAT UH, THOSE
[1:57:57] IMPACTS AREN'T BEING PASSED ON
[1:57:59] TO RATEPAYERS WHEN WE KNOW, UH,
[1:58:02] BOSTONIANS AND RESIDENTS ACROSS
[1:58:03] THE COMMONWEALTH WHERE RIGHT
[1:58:04] NOW ARE REALLY STRUGGLING WITH
[1:58:06] ENERGY COSTS AS ONE OF THE TOP
[1:58:08] CONCERNS.
[1:58:10] OKAY THANK YOU THANK YOU CHAIR.
[1:58:11] THANK YOU.
[1:58:12] AND UM I'M GOING TO LET
[1:58:14] COUNCILOR CULPEPER ASK YOU AS
[1:58:15] ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION AND THEN
[1:58:16] WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE REST
[1:58:18] OF.
[1:58:18] THE COUNCIL.
[1:58:19] CAN I HAD ONE QUESTION.
[1:58:21] FOR YOU CONCERNING YOUR
[1:58:23] RESEARCH.
[1:58:24] ON TECHNOLOGIES AND I THINK
[1:58:26] THEY HELP DATA CENTERS MANAGE
[1:58:28] YOUR ELECTRICITY DEMAND MORE
[1:58:31] EFFICIENTLY EVEN.
[1:58:33] IF THE FACILITIES WERE.
[1:58:34] ABLE TO MANAGE THE
[1:58:37] ELECTRICITY MORE EFFICIENTLY,
[1:58:39] ISN'T THERE STILL A RISK
[1:58:41] OF EXPANSION OF DATA CENTERS
[1:58:43] THAT WILL CONTINUE TO DRIVE UP
[1:58:45] OVERALL ELECTRICITY
[1:58:46] CONSUMPTION?
[1:58:48] UM.
[1:58:50] SO UH, EFFICIENCY IS
[1:58:51] IMPORTANT BUT UH, WHAT I'VE
[1:58:53] BEEN PARTICULARLY WORKING ON IS
[1:58:55] FLEXIBILITY AND UH THE MODEL
[1:58:57] USED TO BE THAT WE GIVE DATA
[1:59:00] CENTER 100MW AND WE NEED TO
[1:59:01] SUPPORT THAT AT ANY TIME IT
[1:59:03] ONCE IT CAN CONSUME THAT 100
[1:59:05] MEGAWATT.
[1:59:06] THIS BRINGS A LOT OF COST
[1:59:07] BECAUSE NEW GENERATION
[1:59:08] TRANSMISSION DISTRIBUTION HAS
[1:59:09] TO BE BUILT.
[1:59:10] IT'S EXPENSIVE AND IT'S UM.
[1:59:13] CAN BE I MEAN IF ON THIS
[1:59:15] TARIFFS ARE PUT IN PLACE ALL
[1:59:17] THIS COST CAN BE REFLECTED TO
[1:59:18] THE RATEPAYERS NOW INSTEAD IF
[1:59:21] WE HAVE POWER LET'S SAY 99%
[1:59:24] OF THE TIME WE ACTUALLY POWER
[1:59:25] IN THE GRID FOR A 50 MEGAWATT
[1:59:28] DATA CENTER.
[1:59:29] UH WE CAN SAY OKAY, YOU KNOW,
[1:59:32] YOU CAN HAVE 50MW OF.
[1:59:34] UM OR 40 MEGAWATT OF FOREIGN
[1:59:37] POWER BUT TEN MEGAWATTS
[1:59:39] OF FLEXIBLE POWER WHICH THE
[1:59:41] UTILITY OR THE INDEPENDENT
[1:59:43] SERVICE OPERATOR CAN TAKE IT
[1:59:45] AWAY DURING THESE STRESS TIMES.
[1:59:46] SO THAT'S A NEW WAY OF LOOKING
[1:59:48] INTO DATA CENTER OPERATION.
[1:59:50] UH, YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD
[1:59:52] OF DEMAND RESPONSE BASICALLY
[1:59:54] THIS IS SIMILAR CONCEPT.
[1:59:55] WELL THE CONSUMER ADJUSTS
[1:59:57] ELECTRICITY WHEN THERE IS
[1:59:59] HIGHER USE IN THE GRID.
[2:00:00] NOW WHY IS THIS A NEW FORM?
[2:00:02] BECAUSE DATA CENTERS MOST
[2:00:04] OF THE TIME 9,899% OF THE TIME
[2:00:07] CAN SERVE THEIR CUSTOMERS
[2:00:09] BUSINESS AS USUAL BUT THE FEW
[2:00:11] PERCENT OF THE TIME WHEN THE
[2:00:12] GRID NEEDS IT MOST THEN THEY
[2:00:14] CAN LOWER THEIR CONSUMPTION.
[2:00:16] THEY HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO DO
[2:00:17] THAT.
[2:00:18] A LOT OF COMPUTE LOAD IS NOT
[2:00:19] URGENT THEY CAN BE TEMPORARILY
[2:00:21] SUSPENDED OR SLOWED DOWN.
[2:00:23] SO THIS IS THE KIND
[2:00:24] OF TECHNOLOGY WE ARE BUILDING.
[2:00:26] SO OVERALL UM FOR THIS TO
[2:00:28] HAPPEN OF COURSE THE NECESSARY
[2:00:30] PROGRAMS POLICIES NEED TO BE
[2:00:32] PUT IN PLACE AND TO ENSURE THAT
[2:00:34] DATA DATA CENTER OPERATES
[2:00:37] WITHIN UH THEY'RE ALLOWED POWER
[2:00:38] NUMBERS UH, THE MEASUREMENT
[2:00:41] VERIFICATION UM ESSENTIALLY
[2:00:44] SYSTEMS NEED TO BE PUT IN
[2:00:45] PLACE.
[2:00:46] UH, SO ALL OF THIS IS POSSIBLE
[2:00:48] UM, LIKE I MENTIONED BROADLY IN
[2:00:50] THE UNITED STATES IN A VARIETY
[2:00:52] OF AREAS, UH, UTILITIES ARE
[2:00:53] LOOKING INTO FLEXIBLE
[2:00:55] INTERCONNECTION PROGRAMS.
[2:00:57] UM, SOME REGULATORY BODIES ARE
[2:00:59] LOOKING INTO HOW TO MAKE THIS
[2:01:00] HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY FOR LARGE
[2:01:02] DATA CENTERS, ESPECIALLY IN
[2:01:04] AREAS WHERE THERE'S A LOT
[2:01:05] OF THE DATA CENTERS UM, DEMAND
[2:01:08] UH LEADING IN THE QUEUES.
[2:01:09] BUT WE CAN ALSO THINK ABOUT
[2:01:11] WHEN WE ARE THINKING ABOUT
[2:01:13] BOSTON'S POTENTIAL DATA CENTERS
[2:01:15] GROWTH.
[2:01:16] WE CAN THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN
[2:01:17] FROM THE FROM DAY ONE, HOW WE
[2:01:20] CAN MAKE THEM EFFICIENT, HOW WE
[2:01:21] CAN MAKE THEM RESPONSIBLE, HOW
[2:01:23] WE CAN MAKE THEM GRID, UH,
[2:01:25] RESPONSIVE ASSETS SO THAT THEY
[2:01:27] DON'T BREAK THE GRID.
[2:01:28] INSTEAD THEY PROVIDE RESILIENCE
[2:01:30] .
[2:01:30] TO THE GOVERNMENTS AND
[2:01:31] CONSUMERS.
[2:01:31] WHERE PROTECTIONS ARE NEEDED TO
[2:01:34] ENSURE THAT CONSUMERS AND SMALL
[2:01:36] BUSINESSES ARE NOT PAYING FOR
[2:01:39] THE RESULTING, UH,
[2:01:41] INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES.
[2:01:43] SO I MEAN, IT GOES BEYOND MY.
[2:01:44] UM, EXPERTISE IN TERMS OF HOW
[2:01:46] TO PRICE ELECTRICITY.
[2:01:48] UM, BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING.
[2:01:49] WHAT PROTECTIONS.
[2:01:51] FOR PROTECTIONS FOR THE
[2:01:53] RATEPAYERS, YOU MEAN RIGHT.
[2:01:53] YEAH.
[2:01:54] SO UM SO LIKE I WAS SAYING MY
[2:01:56] SPECIALTY IS NOT DEVELOPING
[2:01:57] TARIFFS BUT IN GENERAL WHAT WE
[2:01:59] ARE SEEING ACROSS UM THE US AND
[2:02:01] GLOBALLY IS THAT ARE
[2:02:03] SUGGESTIONS TO REFLECT SOME
[2:02:04] OF THIS INFRASTRUCTURE COST TO
[2:02:06] DATA CENTER COMPANIES.
[2:02:08] UM, SO GENERALLY SPEAKING
[2:02:11] AFFORDABILITY IS AN IMPORTANT
[2:02:12] PIECE AND AGAIN LIKE IF WE USE
[2:02:15] THE AVAILABLE UH INFRASTRUCTURE
[2:02:17] WE HAVE TODAY BETTER AND REDUCE
[2:02:19] THE NEED OF COSTLY
[2:02:21] INFRASTRUCTURE UPDATES, THAT'S
[2:02:22] ALSO IMPORTANT.
[2:02:25] SO UH WHEN WE CHANGE HOW WE
[2:02:27] POWER DATA CENTERS, WE DON'T
[2:02:29] NEED TO RUSH TO BUILD A LOT
[2:02:31] OF COSTLY INFRASTRUCTURE
[2:02:32] UPGRADES.
[2:02:33] WE CAN USE THE AVAILABLE POWER
[2:02:34] WE HAVE BETTER AND DO BETTER,
[2:02:37] MORE SUSTAINABLE, MORE PACED,
[2:02:39] CHEAPER UH, GROWTH OF THE POWER
[2:02:41] GRID.
[2:02:42] UH, AT THE SAME TIME TECHNOLOGY
[2:02:44] THIS IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE
[2:02:46] TECHNOLOGY BUT TARIFFS AND
[2:02:48] PRICING AND HOW TO PROTECT
[2:02:49] RATEPAYERS THAT NEED TO BE IN
[2:02:51] PLACE.
[2:02:51] LIKE I WAS SAYING THAT'S NOT
[2:02:52] EXACTLY MY EXPERTISE.
[2:02:54] UH, BUT CERTAINLY UH WE NEED TO
[2:02:57] DESIGN THE NECESSARY UM,
[2:02:59] FRAMEWORKS SO THAT ALL OF THIS
[2:03:01] COST IS NOT PAID BY THE UH,
[2:03:03] COMMUNITY.
[2:03:05] UH UM.
[2:03:07] I COULD ADD.
[2:03:08] YEAH, I THINK WE'RE ABOUT DONE
[2:03:10] WITH THIS PORTION JUST BECAUSE
[2:03:11] WE'VE GONE UM WE'VE GONE A
[2:03:13] LITTLE BIT OVER AND THERE'S
[2:03:14] ACTUALLY CITY BOSTON LIKE A BIG
[2:03:16] CITY OF BOSTON EVENT TONIGHT,
[2:03:17] WHICH IS WHY MY COLLEAGUES HAVE
[2:03:18] LEFT US.
[2:03:19] UM, SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
[2:03:22] WE HAVE TIME FOR PUBLIC
[2:03:22] TESTIMONY.
[2:03:24] UM, BUT IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY
[2:03:25] ADDITIONAL TESTIMONY, WE WILL
[2:03:27] STILL BE ACCEPTING TESTIMONY
[2:03:29] UNTIL YOU KNOW THE END OF TIME.
[2:03:31] SO FEEL FREE TO EMAIL MY
[2:03:33] COMMITTEE EMAIL AND WE'LL MAKE
[2:03:34] SURE THAT IT GETS INTO THE
[2:03:35] RECORD.
[2:03:35] BUT I KNOW SOME OF OUR UM,
[2:03:37] FOLKS ONLINE HAVE BEEN WAITING
[2:03:38] FOR A WHILE AND UM CYRIL
[2:03:41] CLEMENT WE ARE READY FOR YOU
[2:03:43] FOR TWO MINUTES.
[2:03:46] AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO OUR
[2:03:49] PANEL FOR SPENDING TIME WITH US
[2:03:50] TODAY.
[2:03:51] UM AND THEN WE HAVE TWO TWO
[2:03:53] FOLKS ONLINE I THINK KATE AND
[2:03:57] CHATTEN GREEN SO OKAY.
[2:03:59] PERFECT.
[2:04:00] UM, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
[2:04:03] GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR DURKAN
[2:04:04] AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY
[2:04:05] COUNCIL.
[2:04:06] MY NAME IS CYRIL CLEMENT AND
[2:04:07] I'M A RESIDENT OF BOSTON AND
[2:04:08] THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
[2:04:09] FELLOW AT THE MASSACHUSETTS
[2:04:10] PUBLIC HEALTH ALLIANCE AS A
[2:04:12] STATEWIDE PUBLIC HEALTH
[2:04:14] ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION AND
[2:04:16] STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE
[2:04:17] PROHIBITION OF NEW DATA CENTERS
[2:04:19] IN BOSTON AS DEFINED IN THE
[2:04:20] PROPOSED ORDER.
[2:04:21] THIS IS A CRUCIAL STEP WHILE WE
[2:04:23] WORK ON UNDERSTANDING AND
[2:04:25] MITIGATING THE RISK OF THIS NEW
[2:04:26] TECHNOLOGY AND THE CONCERNS
[2:04:28] THAT IT POSES TO OUR TO THE
[2:04:29] HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
[2:04:30] OUR CONCERNS ABOUT DATA CENTERS
[2:04:33] IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR SIZE,
[2:04:35] FOCUS ON THREE PRIMARY ISSUES
[2:04:37] RISING UTILITY BILLS,
[2:04:39] UNDERSTANDING THE CITY'S
[2:04:40] RESPONSE, UNDERMINING THE
[2:04:41] CITY'S RESPONSE TO CLIMATE
[2:04:42] CHANGE AND THE HEALTH RISKS
[2:04:44] THAT WILL OUTLIVE DATA CENTERS
[2:04:45] .
[2:04:45] FIRST, IT IS CLEAR THAT DATA
[2:04:48] CENTERS EXACERBATE THE
[2:04:49] AFFORDABILITY CRISIS THAT IS
[2:04:50] HITTING OUR CITY BY DRIVING UP
[2:04:53] ENERGY DEMANDS AND REQUIRING
[2:04:54] SIGNIFICANT INFRASTRUCTURE
[2:04:56] UPGRADES.
[2:04:56] DATA CENTERS CONTRIBUTE TO
[2:04:58] RISING UTILITY BILLS AT NIGHT.
[2:05:00] WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE WILL BE
[2:05:01] FORCED TO MAKE IMPOSSIBLE
[2:05:02] CHOICES BETWEEN PAYING THESE
[2:05:04] BILLS, PUTTING FOOD ON THE
[2:05:05] TABLE, GETTING THE HEALTH CARE
[2:05:06] THEY NEED AND SPENDING TIME
[2:05:08] WITH LOVED ONES.
[2:05:09] SECOND, AS BOSTON FACES
[2:05:11] INCREASINGLY FREQUENT CLIMATE
[2:05:12] DISASTERS SUCH AS HEATWAVES,
[2:05:14] SNOWSTORMS AND DROUGHTS, IT
[2:05:15] MUST CONSIDER HOW THE EXCESSIVE
[2:05:17] ENERGY AND WATER CONSUMPTION IN
[2:05:18] DATA CENTERS WILL HARM OUR
[2:05:20] ABILITY TO RESPOND.
[2:05:21] SEEING DATA CENTERS FLOURISH
[2:05:23] WHILE POWER OUTAGES AND WATER
[2:05:24] SHORTAGES OCCUR IN OUR CITY
[2:05:26] WOULD BE DEVASTATING.
[2:05:27] FINALLY, THE CURRENT AI BOOM IS
[2:05:29] BUILT ON SPECULATION AND LOFTY
[2:05:31] PROMISES ABOUT TECH BASED
[2:05:32] FUTURES.
[2:05:33] AS TECHNOLOGY RAPIDLY ADVANCES
[2:05:34] ,DATA CENTERS CAN QUICKLY
[2:05:35] BECOME OBSOLETE AND IT'S
[2:05:37] DIFFICULT TO REPURPOSE THESE
[2:05:38] SITES.
[2:05:39] WHILE THESE CORPORATIONS MOVE
[2:05:41] ON TO THE NEXT BIG IDEA,
[2:05:42] COMMUNITIES WILL CONTINUE TO
[2:05:43] PAY FOR ABANDONED DATA CENTERS
[2:05:44] THROUGH EXPOSURE TO POLLUTION,
[2:05:46] TOXIC WASTE AND FOREVER
[2:05:47] CHEMICALS IS SKEPTICAL THAT
[2:05:50] DATA CENTERS WILL CREATE A
[2:05:51] PROSPEROUS FUTURE FOR ALL.
[2:05:52] AND BELIEVE THAT THEY SHOULD NO
[2:05:54] LONGER BE ALLOWED TO DIVERT
[2:05:55] RESOURCES AWAY FROM THINGS THAT
[2:05:57] WILL SUCH AS HEALTH CARE,
[2:05:59] HOUSING, FOOD, PUBLIC TRANSIT
[2:06:00] AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS TO
[2:06:02] PREVENT RISING UTILITY BILLS,
[2:06:04] IMPROVE CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND
[2:06:05] PREVENT THEIR LONG TERM HEALTH
[2:06:07] RISKS.
[2:06:07] WE URGE THIS COMMITTEE TO
[2:06:09] PROHIBIT NEW DATA CENTERS IN
[2:06:10] BOSTON.
[2:06:10] THANK YOU.
[2:06:11] THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
[2:06:13] TESTIMONY.
[2:06:14] KATE RICHARD IS ON VIRTUAL.
[2:06:24] YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
[2:06:25] KATE.
[2:06:29] HELLO.
[2:06:30] THANK YOU.
[2:06:31] BOSTON CITY COUNCIL FOR TAKING
[2:06:33] PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
[2:06:34] I STAND HERE BEFORE YOU AS A
[2:06:37] CAUTIONARY TALE FROM THE CITY
[2:06:39] OF BROCKTON WHEN IN THE LATE
[2:06:41] 90S THEY DEREGULATED THE POWER
[2:06:44] PLANT, UH, ELECTRIC GENERATING,
[2:06:46] UM, BUSINESS MODEL.
[2:06:48] UM, DATA CENTERS ARE THAT NEXT
[2:06:51] TYPE OF WILD WEST SPECULATIVE
[2:06:54] DEVELOPMENT?
[2:06:54] UM, I THINK CONDITIONAL ZONING
[2:06:57] ,UM, CAREFULLY DONE IS NEEDED
[2:06:59] .
[2:06:59] FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD AT TODAY'S
[2:07:01] MEETING IT WAS VERY
[2:07:03] EDUCATIONAL.
[2:07:03] I THINK THAT ENVIRONMENTAL
[2:07:05] JUSTICE COMMUNITIES NEED TO BE
[2:07:08] EXCLUDED.
[2:07:08] I THINK THE OVERLAY OF YOUR
[2:07:10] BUSINESS DISTRICTS NEED TO LOOK
[2:07:12] AT.
[2:07:12] AND THE THIRD POINT I HAVE UM.
[2:07:15] UNFORTUNATELY TISH WON'T BE
[2:07:16] HAPPY.
[2:07:16] BE VERY CAREFUL OF GIVING
[2:07:18] HOSPITALS A FREE PASS.
[2:07:20] THE CITY OF BROCKTON ALSO HAD A
[2:07:22] PREDATORY VENTURE DEVELOPMENT
[2:07:23] CAPITAL GROUP COME IN AND STRIP
[2:07:25] ASSETS FROM HOSPITALS.
[2:07:28] HOSPITALS ARE POISED NOW
[2:07:29] NEEDING TO USE MORE AND MORE
[2:07:31] OF THESE TYPES OF AI GENERATING
[2:07:35] UM TECHNOLOGIES THAT THEY CAN
[2:07:36] BUY AND SELL TO EACH OTHER.
[2:07:38] AND ALSO THE PHARMACEUTICAL
[2:07:41] INDUSTRY PEOPLE WILL BE LOOKING
[2:07:43] FOR THIS TYPE OF ACCESS.
[2:07:44] UM, USING SMART GRID TECHNOLOGY
[2:07:47] IS AN EXCELLENT WAY.
[2:07:49] UH, FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN.
[2:07:51] BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT ALL
[2:07:53] STARTS WITH ZONING.
[2:07:54] WHEN I ASK TIME AND TIME AGAIN
[2:07:56] WHY THESE, UM, MAKE IT WAS A
[2:08:00] 350 MEGAWATT POWER PLANT WAS
[2:08:01] PUT BEING PUT NEXT TO A SCHOOL
[2:08:03] WITH KIDS WITH ASTHMA.
[2:08:05] IT ALL CAME DOWN TO ZONING AND
[2:08:07] BROCKTON HAD SOME INTRICATE
[2:08:09] ZONING.
[2:08:10] YOU CAN PUT IT HERE.
[2:08:11] YOU CAN YOU KNOW THIS THAT AND
[2:08:12] THE OTHER THING BUT CITY
[2:08:13] OF BOSTON DO YOUR HOMEWORK.
[2:08:15] UH, THINK ABOUT ALL OF THE
[2:08:18] IMPACTS AND THE NEEDS
[2:08:19] ASSESSMENT NOT JUST FOR THE
[2:08:20] GRID, UM, BUT ALSO FOR THE
[2:08:22] HUMAN BEINGS THAT ARE LIVING IN
[2:08:24] AND AMONG YOUR BEAUTIFUL CITY.
[2:08:27] THANK YOU.
[2:08:28] RIGHT ON TIME.
[2:08:29] THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[2:08:31] UM.
[2:08:32] CHAT AND GREEN.
[2:08:48] WHEN I SAY OH, PERFECT.
[2:08:49] OKAY.
[2:08:51] YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
[2:08:56] YEAH.
[2:09:02] IS HE UNMUTED?
[2:09:03] OKAY.
[2:09:04] I THINK YOU'RE MUTED.
[2:09:07] YOU CAN UNMUTE.
[2:09:13] OKAY I GOT IT.
[2:09:14] THANK YOU.
[2:09:14] MY APOLOGIES.
[2:09:16] PERFECT PERFECT.
[2:09:17] GOOD AFTERNOON.
[2:09:18] GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
[2:09:20] MY NAME IS SHORT ON GREEN.
[2:09:22] I'M A BOSTON RESIDENT, A PROUD
[2:09:24] ROXBURY RESIDENT AND THE AGENT
[2:09:26] REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE BOSTON
[2:09:27] BUILDING TRADES UNIONS.
[2:09:28] WE REPRESENT 35,000
[2:09:30] CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ACROSS THE
[2:09:31] REGION WHO BUILD, MAINTAIN AND
[2:09:33] POWER OUR COMMUNITIES.
[2:09:34] OUR UNIONS STRENGTHEN THE LOCAL
[2:09:36] ECONOMY TO FAMILY SUSTAINING
[2:09:38] WAGES, QUALITY BENEFITS,
[2:09:40] APPRENTICESHIP AND TRAINING
[2:09:41] PROGRAMS AND THE HIGHEST
[2:09:43] STANDARDS UM, OF CONSTRUCTION
[2:09:45] SAFETY.
[2:09:46] WE BELIEVE IN RESPONSIBLE
[2:09:47] ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT
[2:09:48] CREATES LASTING OPPORTUNITIES
[2:09:50] FOR WORKING FAMILIES AND
[2:09:51] STRENGTHENS OUR COMMUNITIES.
[2:09:52] DATA CENTERS, DIGITAL
[2:09:54] INFRASTRUCTURE OR WHATEVER NAME
[2:09:55] WE USE ARE CRITICAL TO OUR
[2:09:57] FUTURE.
[2:09:57] THEY SUPPORT PATIENT RECORDS AT
[2:09:59] OUR HOSPITALS, RESEARCH AND
[2:10:00] EDUCATION AT OUR UNIVERSITIES,
[2:10:03] EMS AND FIRST RESPONDERS,
[2:10:05] PUBLIC TRANSIT, FINANCIAL
[2:10:07] TRANSACTIONS AND THE TECHNOLOGY
[2:10:09] WE RELY ON TO PLAN OUR DAILY
[2:10:10] LIVES AND LONG TERM FUTURES.
[2:10:12] THIS INFRASTRUCTURE IS
[2:10:13] ESSENTIAL TO MODERN WORLD AND
[2:10:15] WE DO NOT BELIEVE A MORATORIUM
[2:10:16] IS THE ANSWER.
[2:10:18] CONVERSATION, COLLABORATION AND
[2:10:20] SMART POLICY ARE UM.
[2:10:22] WE CANNOT TURN AWAY FROM
[2:10:23] CONVERSATIONS AND HOPE SOMEONE
[2:10:24] GETS THEM RIGHT.
[2:10:25] WHO BETTER TO SHAPE THE FUTURE
[2:10:27] OF OUR REGION THAN PEOPLE AND
[2:10:28] COMMUNITIES WHO LIVE AND WORK
[2:10:30] RIGHT HERE?
[2:10:30] UH, IN ADDITION TO LARGE
[2:10:32] INSTITUTIONS, MEDICINE AND
[2:10:33] EDUCATION THIS INFRASTRUCTURE
[2:10:34] MEANS WE CAN GET ON THE BUS IN
[2:10:36] THE MORNING, GET TO SCHOOL AND
[2:10:37] WORK AND TO OUR APPOINTMENTS ON
[2:10:38] TIME.
[2:10:39] IT MEANS WHEN YOU RUN OUT
[2:10:40] OF MILK IN THE FRIDGE WE CAN
[2:10:41] BUY SOME AT LOCAL STOP AND
[2:10:42] SHOPS AND CORNER STORE OR
[2:10:44] BODEGAS.
[2:10:45] IT MEANS WE CAN BORROW A BOOK
[2:10:46] FROM THE BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
[2:10:47] AND BE ABLE, UH, TO LOG ON TO
[2:10:49] PUBLIC MEETINGS OR MORE.
[2:10:50] UM, OUR EVERYDAY LIFE HAS
[2:10:52] BECOME A RELY ON ITS
[2:10:54] INFRASTRUCTURE.
[2:10:54] DATA CENTERS DEVELOPMENT MUST
[2:10:56] BE RESPONSIBLE AND DELIVER
[2:10:58] TANGIBLE BENEFITS TO WORKERS
[2:10:59] AND HOST COMMUNITIES.
[2:11:00] THAT MEANS PRIORITIZING AND
[2:11:01] LABOR, CREATING GOOD JOBS AND
[2:11:03] APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES,
[2:11:05] BRINGING NEW CLEAN ENERGY
[2:11:06] ONLINE TO MEET GROWING DEMAND
[2:11:07] AND ENSURE DEVELOPERS PAY THEIR
[2:11:09] FAIR SHARE OF ENERGY AND
[2:11:11] INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS.
[2:11:12] SO EXISTING RATEPAYERS ARE LEFT
[2:11:14] FOOTING THE BILL.
[2:11:15] WE APPLAUD GOVERNOR HALEY'S
[2:11:16] APPROACH TO RESPONSIBLE
[2:11:17] DEVELOPMENT AND LOCAL DECISION
[2:11:18] MAKING, GIVING COMMUNITIES
[2:11:19] MEANINGFUL VOICE AND SHAPING
[2:11:22] PROJECTS THAT AFFECT THEIR
[2:11:22] FUTURES.
[2:11:23] OUR MEMBERS BUILD AND MAINTAIN
[2:11:24] THIS INFRASTRUCTURE AND WE'RE
[2:11:26] HERE TO HELP RESIDENTS AND
[2:11:28] POLICYMAKERS UNDERSTAND WHY IT
[2:11:29] MATTERS.
[2:11:29] WHEN THE ISSUE AROSE, WE
[2:11:31] IMMEDIATELY HER CONCERNS ABOUT
[2:11:32] QUINN ABOUT HOW NEW POLICIES
[2:11:34] MIGHT AFFECT PROJECTS EXPANDING
[2:11:36] DATA STORAGE FOR WORLD CLASS
[2:11:38] MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS AND
[2:11:39] UNIVERSITIES.
[2:11:40] THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW
[2:11:42] FAR REACHING THIS CONVERSATION
[2:11:43] IS.
[2:11:44] EVERYONE IN THIS CHAMBER RELIES
[2:11:45] ON DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND
[2:11:47] IRONICALLY IT ALLOWS MANY
[2:11:49] RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN
[2:11:51] THESE PUBLIC UH, DISCUSSION
[2:11:53] VIRTUALLY.
[2:11:54] WE BELIEVE INFORMED PUBLIC
[2:11:55] DIALOG IS ESSENTIAL TO
[2:11:56] ENSURING.
[2:11:56] YOU KNOW, YOUR UM.
[2:11:59] THANK YOU.
[2:12:00] UM, I'LL I'LL AND END IT BY
[2:12:02] SAYING, UH, THANK YOU TO CITY
[2:12:04] COUNCIL CHAIR DURKAN AND UH,
[2:12:05] THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
[2:12:07] TO BE PART OF THIS CONVERSATION
[2:12:08] .
[2:12:08] I HAVE.
[2:12:09] SO MUCH TO TOUCH ON.
[2:12:10] OKAY.
[2:12:11] I DON'T SEE ANY MORE FOLKS FOR
[2:12:13] PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
[2:12:14] UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE
[2:12:17] DOWN THE HEARING.
[2:12:18] UM, THIS DOCKET ON DOCKET 1718
[2:12:22] IS ADJOURNED AND WILL REMAIN IN
[2:12:24] COMMITTEE.