Protect Iowa’s Water and Energy

Iowa has become a massive hub for global tech giants, but our infrastructure is feeling the strain. Massive data centers, driven by the explosion of AI, require billions of gallons of water and immense amounts of electricity to operate. Currently, there is a risk that the high costs of building out the power grid and water needs for these facilities could be shifted onto everyday Iowans. HF 2690 (formerly HF 2447) changes the game by requiring data centers to be transparent about their resource usage and, most importantly, ensuring they pay their own way through fair, separate utility tariffs. HF2690 will:

Protect Ratepayers: By requiring a distinct utility tariff for data centers, the bill ensures that large-scale users pay their fair share of infrastructure costs rather than shifting that burden onto residential and small business customers.
Mandate Transparency: Iowa’s water and energy resources are finite. Requiring quarterly reporting on usage and efficiency (WUE) is a common-sense measure to ensure we are managing our natural resources responsibly.
Promote Fairness: This bill provides the Iowa Utilities Commission with the tools necessary to prevent "cross-subsidization," keeping our local utility rates among the most competitive in the nation.

Urge your state legislator to vote yes on HF2690!

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Support for HF 2690 (Formerly HF 2447) – Protecting Iowa’s Resources and Ratepayers

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I am writing to you today as a constituent to express my strong support for HF 2690 (formerly HF 2447), regarding the regulation of data center water and energy usage. While I appreciate the economic investment that technology companies bring to Iowa, the scale of resources required by these facilities is unprecedented. Without the guardrails provided in this bill, everyday Iowans risk bearing the burden of infrastructure upgrades and rising utility costs. Specifically, I support this legislation because: • It Protects Ratepayers: By requiring a distinct utility tariff for data centers, the bill ensures that large-scale users pay their fair share of infrastructure costs rather than shifting that burden onto residential and small business customers. • It Mandates Transparency: Iowa’s water and energy resources are finite. Requiring quarterly reporting on usage and efficiency (WUE) is a common-sense measure to ensure we are managing our natural resources responsibly. • It Promotes Fairness: This bill provides the Iowa Utilities Commission with the tools necessary to prevent "cross-subsidization," keeping our local utility rates among the most competitive in the nation. I urge you to support HF 2690 as it moves to the House floor. We must ensure that Iowa’s growth is sustainable and that our citizens are not forced to subsidize the operational costs of multi-billion-dollar tech corporations. Thank you for your time and for your service to our district.

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