Water Policy Specialist and Sea Grant UW Water Science-Policy Fellow Emilie Washer was featured in a “Circle of Blue” article discussing the Center’s newest AI-Data Center Legislative Model.
As noted in our model and in the Circle of Blue piece, the Great Lakes region has seen an increase in data center construction, but there is little reliable information on the environmental footprint of these projects. The Center for Water Policy published a legislative model designed to help state and local governments strengthen disclosure, assess cumulative impacts, and establish efficiency and public engagement requirements for data centers. “Our new legislative model offers policy options and customizable language to help communities promote transparency and protect the public interest,” says Washer.
Read the full story from Circle of Blue here: https://www.circleofblue.org/2026/fresh-great-lakes/great-lakes-states-face-a-data-center-governance-gap/
And read the Center’s legislative model here: https://uwm.edu/centerforwaterpolicy/center-for-water-policy-releases-ai-data-centers-legislative-model-to-promote-transparency-and-environmental-protections/