DOES IT REALLY MATTER IF WE BAN TECHNOLOGY BUSINESSES FROM EMPORIA?
This is a critical decision that will have a long-term impact on our community’s future. It will prevent Emporia from being able to grow and recruit new jobs. It’s not a temporary ban. Question 2 would ban certain technology businesses from Emporia for at least a decade. Technology moves quickly. In 10 years, these companies will have already chosen communities that welcomed them and Emporia will get passed by. It also causes Emporia to lose out on the related businesses that want to build near the technology hubs that they serve.
WHAT ABOUT QUESTION 3 ON BANNING BATTERY STORAGE?
This is also long-term decision that will prevent our community from being able to grow and recruit new jobs, but it also jeopardizes our ability to keep existing employers. Question 3 would ban Emporia businesses from using what’s known as Type 2 and Type 3 battery energy storage systems. These are used by manufacturing facilities, hospitals and other large commercial/industrial employers to protect equipment and enable them to continue operating during an emergency. These systems provide standby power in the event of a grid outage.
AREN’T DATA CENTERS TOO NEW FOR US TO KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THEM?
Data centers have been around for decades, which is what’s so important about keeping the door open for these opportunities in Emporia. We aren’t going first. We’ve had the chance to learn from the mistakes that other communities have made so that we can implement the right rules and regulations if the right project comes along for our community. Our city has already implemented strict requirements, holding technology companies, like data centers, to higher standards than any other employer in our community.
DO DATA FACILITIES USE A LOT OF WATER?
Early on data centers required quite a bit of water, but technology changes quickly and the industry has found efficient ways to reduce the water needs of these types of facilities. The data center that’s interested in coming to Emporia would require about 1 million gallons per day. That might sound like a lot, but its actually a conservative amount for an industrial employer. Emporia’s former Tyson plant used 5.5 million gallons per day. Wolf Creek Power Station in Burlington uses about 25 million gallons per day. An 18-hole golf course uses 2 to 3 million per day.
ARE THERE ANY DATA CENTERS IN KANSAS?
Yes, there are 9 in Kansas and another 24 in the Kansas City metro. Nationwide, there are over 3,800 data facilities. You’ve probably driven by some and didn’t realize it. They look like any other warehouse or distribution center.