Comprehensive plan; data centers, water usage.

Comprehensive plan; data centers; water usage. Requires every locality to incorporate into its comprehensive plan provisions that prioritize and evaluate alternative methods of cooling, such as air cooling, geothermal cooling, or other innovative technologies that minimize water usage, particularly in the context of approving or siting data centers or similar land uses. The bill provides that the comprehensive plan shall include methods of assessing the environmental impact of water-based cooling methods and requires that alternative methods to minimize water usage are thoroughly considered before local approval of data centers or similar land uses that are reliant on significant water resources for cooling purposes.