Polis defends data centers as Colorado juggles energy demands

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: msn/Axios

10h


ASPEN, Colo. — Colorado's Democratic governor, Jared Polis, defended data centers, touted oil and gas rules and bemoaned climate change in a recent interview in this mountain town.

Why it matters: Colorado has long been a microcosm of the nation's debates on energy, AI and the effects of a warming planet.

Polis, who is leaving office in January due to term limits, has spent nearly eight years governing through each of those fights

.

Inside the room: In an interview with Axios on stage at the Aspen Ideas Festival last weekend, Polis argued the backlash against data centers is aimed more at AI itself than the infrastructure needed to power it.

"Of course, there needs to be data centers," Polis said. "As long as you can show me it's going to reduce our utility rates and be consistent with our water use, then absolutely we want them here."

"There's a general frustration about what the rise of AI means," Polis said. "I think that's what is giving people pause."

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/general/polis-defends-data-centers-as-colorado-juggles-energy-demands/ar-AA27356O

[Miguelito Loveless]

1. With "friends" like these...

[biophile]

2. Not to mention water demands.....

But what about the water demands?

Colorado is the high desert after all.

[niyad]

11. Before this current heatwave, and the 100,000+ acres burning, our

reservoirs were down over 60%, almost no snowpack, etc., etc., etc..

[Karasu]

3. Wait...he bemoaned climate change, but ALSO defended fossil fuels and fucking DATA CENTERS?

It was bad enough that he let fucking Tina Peters off the hook, but this is just blatant, open hypocrisy.

[2naSalit]

4. He's going to have to...

Move out of the state when his term is up.

[denvine]

5. What happened to him?

[GiqueCee]

6. Somebody got to him...

... and he didn't have the cojones to stand up to them. He's history, and so is his credibility.

[Karasu]

7. He was one of the few major Dems who was exposed as a member of Peter Thiel's "Dialog" secret society, though he now

denies it.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/hollywood-peter-thiel-secret-society-1236624737/

[GiqueCee]

18. Knowing what an...

... underhanded shit Theil is, I don't think it's too much of a stretch to imagine him listing well-known Democrats as members without their knowledge just to discredit them.

[Karasu]

19. Fully possible, though the names that turned up didn't exactly shock me. Unsurprisingly, most members are Republicans

anyhow.

[niyad]

12. Fortunately, he is term-limited out. But we still have six more months

of this bs.

[bluestarone]

8. WTH is with this guy?

His middle name fetterman?

[somsai]

9. Polis is simply doing what he thinks best

especially best for his state.

We have 50 or 60 data centers already, new ones create 1600 to 1700 new jobs for the 18 to 24 months they take to build. The 150 to 200 permanent jobs are higher than average wages, some figure we already owe 100 thousand jobs to existing data centers. We have tons of tech here, the most this side of CA. They generate lots of tax revenue without using much in the way of roads or schools.

I prefer hiking in the mountains but it's easy to understand what motivates Polis and it's not money.

[niyad]

14. Water??? And could you please provide citations for the job

numbers and tax revenues?

[popsdenver]

10. Polis is a DINO

He has been pro corporations all along,.......... and now that he is a lame duck Governor, and not running for re-election, he has really shifted pro corporations......Pardoning the election official, is just one of his disastrous decisions......

[Bluetus]

13. Polishing his Corporate cred for his next career.

[niyad]

15. Being very wealthy in his own right, he does not have to worry

about a following career.

[Bluetus]

16. Worry? No, probably not. But these people all seem to be extraordinarily greedy and self-serving

If he can pick up a few million in walking-around money from lobbying, he'll probably do it.

[niyad]

17. You are, of course, absolutely correct. I was not thinking clearly, but

I blame that on the smoke. Our state is on fire.