NORTHERN COLORADO Data centers are becoming an increasingly hot topic across Colorado and the country as communities weigh the potential economic benefits against questions about water use, electricity demand, and long-term imp acts.In Northern Colorado, Loveland and Berthoud are taking time to study those impacts.WATCH: Northern Colorado communities weigh data center moratoriums Why some communities in Northern Colorado approved a one-year moratorium on new data centersIn September, the Loveland City Council approved a 12-month moratorium on new, large-scale data centers, pausing new applications while the city takes a closer look at its regulations.Loveland Mayor Patrick McFall said the moratorium gives the city time to determine whether data centers are a good fit for the community.Putting it in there gives the city the opportunity to study it, look at what's going on, and figure out, one, are data centers even a good fit for Loveland? McFall said.McFall said Loveland's current ordinance was written in 2018, and the city now wants to consider whether its rules adequately address the demands of modern data centers.That includes questions about electricity and water use.If you're coming in, can you create your own grid? How are you disposing of any water you're using that's coming in there? McFall said. Is it a closed-loop system or is it an open-loop system?Loveland isn't the only Northern Colorado community taking a closer look.Later in September, Berthoud, a town of about 14,000 people, also approved a 12-month moratorium on large data centers.Mayor William Karspeck said the town wants more information about how much water and electricity data centers could use, as well as potential building standards.We had some, I guess, other questions for, like, how much water they use. Is this going to be excessive electrical usage? Karspeck said. Do we put limits on that? Certifications for building? Do we want to do, like, a LEED certification or a LEED Platinum?Karspeck said the town may need more than a year to answer all those questions.We're six months in, and it looks good. There's no need to continue the moratorium, he said. On the contrary, if we're a year in or coming up, and we're not there yet, then we'll extend another six months for another year.In Weld County, some residents want a different approach.A citizen-led group is launching a campaign to let voters have a say over data center development.Patricia Nelson-Garcia, who lives in Weld County, said residents worry about the unknowns surrounding large data center projects.There are several other communities around the state, around the country, that are seeking moratoriums on data centers, just because there are simply so many unknowns, Nelson-Garcia said. But additionally, there are also so many things that are not materializing that were promised to community members and to local governments.The group plans to collect signatures for two proposed referendums.One would ask voters to decide the future of the Global AI data center planned in Weld County.The second would require voter approval before future data centers, or expansions of existing data centers, could move forward.For now, Loveland and Berthoud are using their moratoriums to study the potential impacts of data centers and determine whether their existing regulations are enough.In Weld County, residents are pursuing a different path, seeking to give voters a direct say at the ballot box. ...read more read less