The Council Sends the Data Center Ban Back to Committee Amid Debate over Its Effects

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A proposal to ban data centers in Holyoke has been sent back to committee as city officials grapple with a central question raised by its proponent: how much environmental and economic risk is the city willing to take on with this rapidly growing industry? Councilwoman Mimi Panitch, chair of the statutes and regulations committee, noted that the debate boils down to uncertainty about the potential effects on water, energy costs, and the quality …