Date: 4/5/26 5:04 pm From: Lynn Foster <lfoster5211...> Subject: Re: Data Center at Little Rock Port Area
Carol et al.,
The Conservation Committee of the Board is working on this issue. Should it
draft something, it will be shared with members, as well as posted on our
website as all its correspondence is. Meanwhile, thanks for bringing this
issue to the attention of Arbirders.
Lynn Foster
President, Arkansas Audubon Society
On Sun 5 Apr 2026 at 6:11 p.m., Carol Joan Patterson <
<0000003a0ccbe138-dmarc-request...> wrote:
> I am replying to all arbird users because I don't know what particular
> individuals to contact. These Data Centers are of great concern. This
> seems like a good time for the various birding societies to work together
> to come up with a petition and other ways to bring attention to the
> situation. Various people wrote letters to editors about the dicamba
> crisis, using a form letter as a springboard. Maybe an eloquent and
> knowledgeable soul(s) could write about these Data Centers. Perhaps our
> respective board members could work on this.
>
> On Sunday, April 5, 2026 at 11:48:55 AM CDT, Patty McLean <
> <000008e6fff5e5c8-dmarc-request...> wrote:
>
>
> We've got the same challenge in Conway with a large data center proposed
> for Lollie Bottoms -- across from the sewer plant. Obviously, at both
> locations, they would like to use the Arkansas River to cool the equipment
> and to dump their waste water.
>
> Funnily enough, here's what AI gave me about the negative consequences of
> these large power-hungry centers:
>
> "Large data centers present several significant environmental challenges,
> primarily driven by their massive energy and water requirements.
> *1. High Energy Consumption*
>
> Data centers currently account for approximately *1.5% to 4%* of global
> electricity use, a figure projected to double by 2030 due to AI demands.
>
> - *Fossil Fuel Reliance:* Many facilities rely on local grids powered
> by coal or natural gas, increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
>
>
> - *Inundating Grids:* A single hyperscale data center can consume as
> much power as *100,000 households*, straining regional energy
> infrastructure and potentially raising costs for local residents.
>
> *2. Massive Water Usage*
>
> Cooling systems are essential to prevent servers from overheating, often
> using "evaporative cooling" which consumes vast amounts of freshwater.
>
> - *Volume:* Large centers can use up to *5 million gallons of water
> per day*—equivalent to the needs of a city of 50,000 people.
>
>
> - *Regional Stress:* Roughly two-thirds of U.S. data centers built
> since 2022 are located in water-stressed regions, competing with local
> agriculture and residential needs.
>
> *3. Electronic Waste (e-Waste)*
>
> Hardware in data centers is frequently "refreshed" every *three to five
> years* to keep up with processing advancements.
>
> - *Toxic Components:* Discarded servers and networking gear contain
> heavy metals like *lead, mercury, and cadmium*, which can leach into
> soil and groundwater if not recycled properly.
>
>
> - *Low Recycling Rates:* Globally, less than *25%* of e-waste is
> documented as properly recycled, with much of it ending up in landfills.
>
> *4. Localized Pollution*
>
> - *Air Quality:* Facilities use large diesel backup generators for
> outages. These emit *nitrogen oxides (NOx)* and particulate matter,
> which are linked to respiratory issues in nearby communities.
>
>
> - *Noise Pollution:* The constant hum from massive industrial cooling
> fans and generators can create significant noise disturbances for adjacent
> neighborhoods."
>
> The impact on birds and birders may be extreme.
>
> Patty McLean
>
>
> -------- Original message --------
> From: Donna Haynes <00000003bd9d64d2-dmarc-request...>
> Date: 4/3/26 6:42 PM (GMT-06:00)
> To: <ARBIRD-L...>
> Subject: Data Center at Little Rock Port Area
>
> Is anyone writing letters, showing up at meetings, doing petitions
> regarding the proposed Google Data Center at the Little Rock Port Area? I
> have read public comments are open until April 24, but I have yet to find
> where to submit public comments.
> On a side note it is called Project Boar. I find that fitting since like
> Wild Boars, Data Centers are invasive and destructive to native habitats
> and their animal and human residents.
> Donna Haynes
> West Pulaski Co.
>
> Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer
> <https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&c=US_Acquisition_YMktg_315_SearchOrgConquer_EmailSignature&af_sub1=Acquisition&af_sub2=US_YMktg&af_sub3=&af_sub4=100002039&af_sub5=C01_Email_Static_&af_ios_store_cpp=0c38e4b0-a27e-40f9-a211-f4e2de32ab91&af_android_url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?<id...>&listing=search_organize_conquer> >
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