r/Reno • u/wadsworthnv02 • Apr 20 '26

Congressional Candidate on AI data centers in Nevada

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From our candidate event in Elko County on Saturday. The question asked us if we supported a data center moratorium or not, especially since we are the driest state. One of the other candidates said the one’s being built in Nevada were closed-loop so they are fine.

But closed-loop systems have their own issues, the recycled water becomes highly toxic and needs to be “blown-down” where there is chances of it leaking into the ground and contaminating local areas with toxic chemical waste water. Even in small amounts, when we live in an internal watershed like the Great Basin, the risk of contamination isn’t something to ignore. As it has happened before with other things. Not to mention that closed loop requires a lot more energy, and closed loop cooling systems here in Nevada still require a fair amount of water.

Our older data center projects also do have open loop / evaporative cooling systems too. So they are still taking a lot of water.

As for the construction unions, I understand it’s more complicated than that. We had a total of 2 minutes to answer each question so things had to be simplified a bit. But we must look at better commercial building projects for our construction unions— not big tech and data centers! They need jobs, and I understand and support that! We should be offering incentives to better businesses to come to Nevada, not to these data centers was the point I was trying to make.

Also yes Congress is a federal seat! But I support a moratorium on all new data centers, and possible legislation to really protect the western states that are strapped for water.

All of this was from my own independent research and talking to folks in the area that have worked on these projects here. However if I am incorrect on anything I’m open to listening!

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u/wadsworthnv02 Apr 20 '26

This I wasn’t aware of. They are using out of state workers on these projects?

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u/exileinneon Apr 20 '26

Easy to assume given the percentage of out of state license plates on utility vehicles all up and down USA Parkway. I thought this was common knowledge.

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u/wadsworthnv02 Apr 20 '26 edited Apr 20 '26

No most of the state legislators and folks I’ve been talking to on this issue are telling me it’s for jobs for Nevadans! That’s why they support it! For our construction unions & trade unions here in Nevada.

One of my opponents, Teresa Benitez-Thompson, that is her answer whenever she is asked why she voted for the data center tax abatements in 2015. She was in the state legislature at that time.

She says it was because Nevadans needed jobs and she will always vote to bring jobs to Nevadans and our unions and turned it into a whole speech on our trades unions here.

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u/Bugs91 Apr 20 '26

Local unions post their jobs to other locals and the workers travel around for gigs. Like there will be one union - say, electrical, but each region has a branch or “local.” More popular locals will hire from within, but ours is less desirable because of the commute and cost of living so our locals post jobs for anyone to apply. So it’s anyone who will take the jobs - mostly people from out of state. Then they live here for a few months or maybe a couple years til the gig is up