Dems denounce Donalds for data center dollars
The Democratic candidate running to succeed Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Naples) in Congress, was standing yards away from the congressman’s Cape Coral office on Friday with another Democratic candidate for state office, and the representative of an environmental group to denounce the gubernatorial candidate for taking in data center campaign money.
Standing next to a sign that said “Data Center Donalds” with an animated drawing of a data center with smoke rising out of it, they warned of the threats data centers posed to the environment and the electricity bills of Florida residents. They warned that Donalds would do little to stop them.
Victor Arias, a Cape Coral lawyer running for the 19th Congressional District seat that covers most of Lee County and Collier County in the U.S. House of Representatives, was joined by Phillip Carter, a retired Air Force officer and Democratic candidate running for the District 76 State House seat held by Republican Vanessa Oliver. Also speaking was Judy Freiberg, president of the Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida.
The speakers highlighted the contributions Donalds has taken in from big energy companies and construction companies linked to data center projects.
The press conference sought to link Donalds to an explosive political issue that has resonated with voters increasingly concerned about privacy rights and the use of personal data by large corporations. The data centers also have alarmed environmental groups concerned about pollution from the data centers, as well as their large-scale land, electric and water usage. The large-scale use of electricity for the data centers, in some cases as much as it takes for thousands of homes, has become a major political issue nationwide amid the growth of artificial intelligence (A.I.).
Arias warned of rising electricity costs due to the high use of electricity from the data centers, some of which he said could be as large as several hundred football fields. This month, it was reported that Google was accused of clearing approximately 300 hectares of forest in Norway for a data center. That is the equivalent of several hundred football fields.
Arias said there are already more than 100 data centers in Florida, and warned that more could be on the way if Donalds is elected governor. He said Donalds has accepted millions of dollars from companies connected to A.I. or data centers. Arias is concerned that there could be an attempt to allow data centers to skirt local land use regulations.
Arias said the data centers could potentially pollute the water. “Here in Southwest Florida, we rely on water,” Arias said. He also said there would be constant noise from the buildings and the threat of a large-scale disaster if something goes wrong.
Arias said he doesn’t believe many people yet understand what data centers do. “We really don’t understand what data centers are all about. We don’t really understand what A.I. is all about,” Arias said. “We still don’t know their purpose.”
Arias said he would vote for a moratorium of “at least one year” on data centers if elected to Congress.
Carter, of Fort Myers, said data centers would be “catastrophic” for Florida and called for a moratorium on them. “Greedy corporations have forced these wildly unpopular A.I. data centers into communities around the country and the consequences are immeasurable,” Carter said. He said the data centers are increasing the cost of utility bills and threatening water quality.
“In Southwest Florida, where we have extensive farmland and beautiful coastlines, we know the aftermath would be disastrous,” Carter said. “That’s why we absolutely can’t let Byron ‘data center’ Donalds anywhere near the governor’s mansion. Donalds has made it clear to his A.I. mega donors that Florida is wide open to data centers on pristine land,” Carter said. “Byron Donalds is not loyal to the millions of Floridians who are worried about the damage to our way of life and massive financial consequences from data centers.”
Carter said Donalds “was beholden to the A.I. developers who have pumped millions of dollars into his campaign. He couldn’t care less that their data centers will devastate our home.”
Carter said “all Floridians deserve better than Donalds.”
Carter said he believed Oliver would also allow data centers in Florida.
While both candidates must overcome a large deficit to Republicans, the press conference organized by the Democratic Party of Florida served as an attempt to bring attention as well to the campaign of David Jolly, who is challenging Donalds for the governorship being vacated by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Freiberg warned of a scenario where data centers could proliferate if the proper regulations aren’t enacted in the state. She said Donalds could appoint individuals at the state regulatory level who would not protect the environment, and has pledged a moratorium on data centers.
Freiberg said that Donalds has taken in donations from the builders of data centers and big tech corporations. Freiberg said that David Jolly, the Democratic candidate opposing Donalds, opposes data centers and would stop them.
Congressman Byron Donalds (R-Naples). File photo
Some of the biggest contributors to the campaign of Donalds have been energy companies such as Duke Energy, Nextera Energy Capital Holdings LLC, companies that provide energy and infrastructure for data centers. Another company seeking to build a data center in Florida has also donated to the campaign of Donalds. Ferrira Construction Company, another company that has been linked to data center projects, has also been one of the largest contributors to the campaign of Donalds. Teco Holdings, another company with data center links, is also one of the top contributors to the Donalds campaign.
Jolly, on his campaign website, said he would call for a moratorium on hyperscale data centers in his first day in office. A spokesperson for Jolly’s campaign pointed to a statement on Jolly’s campaign website saying “His reasons are the strain on Florida’s water, power, and natural resources; what these facilities do to the neighborhoods and property values around them; and serious questions about the long term economic payoff that he says have yet to be answered. He also says voters across Florida are telling their leaders they do not want data centers, and that leaders should listen.”
Frieberg said that data centers “are basically ruining human habitat. These data centers are going to hinder your ability to have clean water. Water is a finite commodity.”
Messages left with the office of Rep. Donalds and his campaign seeking comment, were not immediately returned.