New report on possible environmental and health impacts of data centers

TUCSON, Ariz. (CBS, KYMA) - As more potential data center projects have begun popping up throughout Arizona, guidelines for determining potential environmental and health impacts were found to be lacking.

The Pima County Health Department, in collaboration with researchers at Johns Hopkins, developed a framework of potential implications that could arise during any of a data center's life cycles.

After finding 21 potential pathways, John Neatherlin with PCHD says the department determined, through Health Department metrics, which are most crucial to consider when it comes to data centers in Pima County.

The goal is for this framework to then be applied on an even smaller scale to the communities within the county that might see a data center to sway decision making.

The implications of the review are more far-reaching than just Pima County.

Attorney General Kris Mayes said the review is one of the reasons why she called for a statewide pause on the approval and construction of data centers.

Mayes says, "At it's current state, especially following Colorado River cuts, Arizona is not in a position to build or house data centers."