Dr. Andrea Tully is a member of the Mid-Atlantic Alliance for Climate and Health. Shweta Arya is the alliance’s co-chair.
We all want to share the promise of a smarter, more connected future — one shaped by artificial intelligence and the data centers that power it. But that future must not come at the expense of our health. As members of the Mid-Atlantic Alliance for Climate and Health, we are deeply concerned about the public health risks posed by the proposed Delaware City data center, known as Project Washington.
The 1.2-gigawatt data center will use enough energy to power nearly twice the number of homes in Delaware. This energy comes from PJM Interconnection, which derives about 70% of its energy from fossil fuels, leading to a marked increase in greenhouse gas emissions.
Additionally, data centers must be equipped with backup generators, most of which are diesel-powered. This will directly impact the air quality of Delaware City, which is already impacted by the adjacent refinery. Emissions from fossil fuels and diesel can worsen asthma, other respiratory conditions and heart disease, and increase the risk of cancer. The strain on the energy grid can also lead to outages and increased costs, which can negatively impact the health of Delawareans.
The data center can also have detrimental impacts on water supply and water quality. Data centers are huge consumers of potable water to cool electronics. As a product of climate change, Delaware will be more likely to experience drought conditions in the future. Diversion of water to a data center rather than to Delaware residents may have negative health consequences. Additionally, Delaware faces some of the most severe water quality challenges in the nation, due to contamination of our waterways from local chemical plants, which will be exacerbated by pollution from Project Washington.
Community reports suggest that data centers such as Project Washington emit constant low-frequency noise, which can reach up to 96 decibels, well above the 85-decibel threshold for harm set by the Environmental Protection Agency. This constant low-frequency noise can disrupt sleep patterns and impact the mental and cardiovascular health of local residents. Children are particularly impacted by noise, which is problematic because Project Washington is planned in close proximity to several schools and child care centers.
We’re not opposed to progress — we’re asking for responsibility. AI and big data are here to stay and so are the communities near these facilities. We urge our local and state legislators to implement common sense regulations to ensure that the health of Delawareans isn’t jeopardized to line the pockets of billionaires. That means requiring cleaner backup generator fuels, regulating noise levels and siting data centers away from schools, child care centers and residential neighborhoods.
Delawareans deserve transparency, accountability and a future when innovation and public health go hand in hand. We encourage residents to attend a public hearing on this topic at 6 p.m. Nov. 4 in Wilmington City Council chambers (800 N. French St.) or join at zoom.us/j/377322142 to make your voices heard.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
