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Public raises environmental concerns over data center projects as council accepts IT travel donation
Summary
A public commenter urged scrutiny of the proposed hyperscale data center (Project Anthem) and urged the council to accept an IT director travel donation so staff can pursue oversight and planning; council approved a package of mayor's items that included the travel donation.
During the Tulsa City Council meeting public comment period, Nancy Morin urged city leaders to increase transparency and oversight of Project Anthem, a planned hyperscale data center in East Tulsa, and recommended the council accept a travel donation for the city’s IT director to study municipal uses of AI and data‑center operations.
Morin addressed the council as she discussed John Galchick, identified in meeting remarks as Tulsa’s director of IT and operations and support. She said Galchick had recently participated in an industry executive program and suggested he apply lessons learned to ensure environmental oversight of Project Anthem, including scrutiny of energy and water use.
Morin raised multiple environmental concerns commonly associated with large data centers: high energy consumption, water use for cooling, the local air‑quality effect of diesel backup generators, and potential pressure on the region’s electricity supply and costs. She referenced the American Lung Association’s 2024 State of the Air report in arguing Tulsa already faces air‑quality challenges.
Morin asked the council to approve a travel donation that would allow Galchick to participate in additional technical briefings and to explore ways AI could be used to optimize municipal energy and water use. She did not identify the data‑center operator by name but said the company was widely assumed to be a major hyperscale operator.
The council approved a package of mayor’s items, including multiple travel donations and special‑event permits, by roll call; the mayor’s items package (items 4b through 4v) was approved with an emergency clause on item 4b. The travel donation referenced by the speaker was taken up as part of that package.
Morin recommended the city consider the lifecycle environmental footprint of large data centers and to coordinate with utility providers and regulatory authorities on power and water planning. She also suggested exploring ways that AI could be used to improve municipal water and energy efficiency.
The council did not take separate, immediate action on Project Anthem itself during the meeting; Morin’s remarks were recorded as public comment and incorporated into the meeting record.
