Requires data center owners and operators to submit semi-annual water and energy usage reports to BPU.
What changed between versions
Added an exemption from the definition of 'data center' for facilities used primarily for internal operations by a licensed health care facility or provider, as long as they do not operate as a commercial data processing or colocation facility for an unaffiliated entity.
Expanded the list of co-sponsors from three members (Brennan, Sampson, Walker) to twelve members, adding Onyema, Kearney, Peterpaul, Donlon, Morales, Bhalla, Quijano, Swain, and Tully.
Changed the three-year reporting period from being measured from the effective date of the act to being measured from the date each individual data center first submits a water and energy usage report, regardless of when it commenced operation or when the act took effect.
Expanded water input reporting from 'total water input' to 'total and peak daily water input,' requiring data centers to report their peak daily water consumption in addition to total volume.
Added a new requirement that if a data center uses water from a public water system, it must provide the name of that public water system and any water service agreements between the public water system and the data center.
Replaced the term 'municipal water supply' with 'public water system' in the water source reporting requirements, broadening the category of water sources covered.
Added a savings clause (new subsection d.(2)) stating that nothing in the section abridges or alters the disclosure obligations of any state agency under other laws, including the Open Public Meetings Act and the Open Public Records Act, and clarifies that the board's confidentiality obligation applies only to information submitted for compliance with subsection c.
