Tulsa County Commissioner Advocates for Independent Technical Review of Data Center Proposals
Tulsa County Commissioner Stan Sallee is advocating for communities to have access to an independent technical resource to evaluate data center development proposals. This idea was shared during a recent interim study on data center developments in Oklahoma, led by Rep. Mark Chapman (R-Broken Arrow). Sallee and Chapman both emphasized the importance of communities understanding a project's design and location before making approval decisions. Sallee highlighted that local leaders face significant decisions regarding power capacity, water supply, water treatment, noise, and the proximity of industrial facilities to homes. He noted that information often comes from utilities and companies with financial interests in the projects, suggesting that an additional, unbiased resource would help local boards better evaluate this information. The goal is not increased government regulation but rather a tool for officials to vet information effectively.
