A 3966 New Jersey General Assembly · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Requires DEP to conduct study of short and long term effects of water use by large-scale data centers.

This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to study how large data centers affect water resources. The study must examine short-term (3-year) and long-term (7-year) water use impacts on drinking water systems, wastewater systems, and the environment, including costs, operational effects, and potential future projects. DEP must report findings within 15 months of the bill's effective date, analyzing water usage patterns, cost impacts on public systems, and possible conservation strategies. The study directly affects data center operators and state water infrastructure, but does not impose new restrictions or requirements.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action Mar 16, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Reprint · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill moved from introduced status to first reprint after committee action, with substantive amendments adding new information-gathering powers for the Department of Environmental Protection and replacing the broad 'data center' definition with a narrower 'large-scale data center' definition based on resource-consumption thresholds. The department can now compel data submissions from data center operators and utilities, use estimates when records are incomplete, and coordinate with the Board of Public Utilities.

Scope change

The scope narrowed from covering all data centers to only 'large-scale data centers' meeting department-established thresholds based on resource consumption factors. However, the practical reach may be broader due to new compulsory information-gathering powers over data center operators and water utilities.

DEFINITION

The standalone definition of 'data center' was removed and replaced with a new definition of 'large-scale data center' that applies only to facilities meeting or exceeding thresholds set by the department in consultation with the Board of Public Utilities, based on factors such as water use, electric demand, physical size, cooling capacity, computing capacity, or other indicators of substantial resource consumption.

ENFORCEMENT

New subsection 2(b) gives the department authority to require owners or operators of large-scale data centers, public water systems, wastewater utilities, sewerage authorities, or other relevant entities to submit specific information including total annual and monthly water use, peak seasonal demand, water sources and percentages, whether water is potable or non-potable, cooling technology employed, material operational changes affecting water consumption, and any significant water reuse or conservation practices.

The department may rely on permit records, utility records, estimates, and other reasonably available information when historical data is unavailable, incomplete, or inconsistent.

REQUIREMENT

The department must consult and coordinate with the Board of Public Utilities and utilize any relevant data reported to the board pursuant to State law.

TIMELINE

The 15-month report deadline was moved from subsection b to a new subsection c, but the substance of the deadline requirement remains unchanged.

SCOPE

Assemblywoman Alixon Collazos-Gill (District 27) was added as a sponsor and Assemblymen Sampson and Kearney were added as co-sponsors, broadening the bill's legislative support.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 16, 2026

Committee

Reported out of Asm. Comm. with Amendments, and Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee

lower

Jan 13, 2026

Introduced

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee

lower

2 primary · 1 co-sponsor