E-Comment on Data Centers and Lake County Energy Policy. 2 Sept 2026. Good day, Chair and Members of the Board of Supervisors: As Lake County considers its future energy policy and the possibility of geothermal-powered data centers, I respectfully ask the Board to proceed cautiously and ensure that the interests of Lake County residents, our water resources, and our environment come first. Public concern about data centers is growing throughout California. Communities are increasingly questioning whether the enormous electricity and water demands associated with these facilities are worth the relatively limited number of permanent jobs they may provide. Most of the employment benefits occur during construction, while the community may be left with the long-term impacts.Lake County residents have already come before your Board requesting a moratorium on data center development. Those concerns deserve serious consideration before the County adopts policies or approves projects that could open the door to large-scale data center development.For Lake County, the potential impacts are particularly important. Depending upon the technology and project design, data centers can require substantial amounts of electricity and water and can create noise, air-quality impacts from backup generation, new transmission and utility infrastructure, and other environmental impacts. We should also carefully consider who ultimately pays for infrastructure upgrades required to serve these extremely large energy users. Lake County residents and existing businesses should not be expected to shoulder higher utility costs so that the electrical system can accommodate new data centers. As the County develops a comprehensive energy policy, I respectfully encourage the Board to include strong protections that Prevent the costs of electrical generation, transmission, distribution, or other infrastructure required by data centers from being shifted to existing ratepayers. Require full disclosure and independent verification of projected and actual water consumption, including the source of that water and potential effects on groundwater, surface water, and other local users. Require comprehensive analysis of cumulative water, energy, noise, air-quality, biological, seismic, and infrastructure impacts before projects are approved. Require data centers proposing to generate their own electricity to use clean energy consistent with California's climate and clean-energy goals. Ensure that any proposed data center demonstrates measurable, long-term benefits to Lake County that justify the resources it consumes and the impacts it creates. Geothermal energy may have an important role in Lake County's energy future, but that does not mean every proposed use of geothermal energy is necessarily a good fit for our county. Before opening the door to an extremely energy- and resource-intensive industry, I urge the Board to establish the protections first. Lake County's water, energy resources, environment, and residents should come before the demands of data centers. Thank you for your consideration. Donna Mackiewicz, Clearlake Oaks
E-Comment on Data Centers and Lake County Energy Policy. 2 Sept 2026. Good day, Chair and Members of the Board of Supervisors: As Lake County considers its future energy policy and the possibility of geothermal-powered data centers, I respectfully ask the Board to proceed cautiously and ensure that the interests of Lake County residents, our water resources, and our environment come first. Public concern about data centers is growing throughout California. Communities are increasingly questioning whether the enormous electricity and water demands associated with these facilities are worth the relatively limited number of permanent jobs they may provide. Most of the employment benefits occur during construction, while the community may be left with the long-term impacts.Lake County residents have already come before your Board requesting a moratorium on data center development. Those concerns deserve serious consideration before the County adopts policies or approves projects that could open the door to large-scale data center development.For Lake County, the potential impacts are particularly important. Depending upon the technology and project design, data centers can require substantial amounts of electricity and water and can create noise, air-quality impacts from backup generation, new transmission and utility infrastructure, and other environmental impacts. We should also carefully consider who ultimately pays for infrastructure upgrades required to serve these extremely large energy users. Lake County residents and existing businesses should not be expected to shoulder higher utility costs so that the electrical system can accommodate new data centers. As the County develops a comprehensive energy policy, I respectfully encourage the Board to include strong protections that Prevent the costs of electrical generation, transmission, distribution, or other infrastructure required by data centers from being shifted to existing ratepayers. Require full disclosure and independent verification of projected and actual water consumption, including the source of that water and potential effects on groundwater, surface water, and other local users. Require comprehensive analysis of cumulative water, energy, noise, air-quality, biological, seismic, and infrastructure impacts before projects are approved. Require data centers proposing to generate their own electricity to use clean energy consistent with California's climate and clean-energy goals. Ensure that any proposed data center demonstrates measurable, long-term benefits to Lake County that justify the resources it consumes and the impacts it creates. Geothermal energy may have an important role in Lake County's energy future, but that does not mean every proposed use of geothermal energy is necessarily a good fit for our county. Before opening the door to an extremely energy- and resource-intensive industry, I urge the Board to establish the protections first. Lake County's water, energy resources, environment, and residents should come before the demands of data centers. Thank you for your consideration. Donna Mackiewicz, Clearlake Oaks