Balancing Economic Development and Environmental Concerns: The Role of Public Health in Emerging Technology Policy

The growing presence of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), is raising concerns about their environmental footprint. As states and local governments grapple with the tension between economic development and community health, public health practitioners are well-positioned to help navigate this complex issue.

In many regions, policy responses vary widely, often reflecting a trade-off between furthering state-level economic interests and addressing local community health and environmental concerns. States have primarily focused on energy reporting, ratepayer protection, and environmental assessment, while local governments have tended to act more directly on land use, zoning, and permitting issues.

For example, Loudoun County in Virginia has ended by-right zoning for data centers, requiring all new applications to undergo public hearings starting from 2025. Kansas City in Missouri has classified data centers as industrial, necessitating council approval and mandatory impact studies on water and electricity rates beginning in 2026. Marana in Arizona has prohibited potable water use for cooling and required water source disclosure since 2024.

The path forward for public health practitioners involves leveraging their expertise to address the environmental impacts of emerging technologies. The three core functions of public health – policy development, assessment, and assurance – provide a concrete framework for this work.

In terms of policy development, public health experts can advocate for health impact assessments in permitting processes, transparency requirements, and community notification standards. They should also contribute their expertise to state and local rulemaking efforts.

Assessment is another critical function where public health practitioners can make a significant contribution. This involves tracking and analyzing cumulative environmental exposures, such as air quality near diesel generators, water availability in stressed regions, and electricity cost burdens on low-income households. Public health experts should push for systematic, mandatory data collection from operators to inform these assessments.

Finally, assurance is essential for ensuring that emerging technologies are deployed in a way that prioritizes community health. This involves monitoring health outcomes over time in affected communities, holding operators and regulators accountable to environmental standards, and guaranteeing vulnerable populations have meaningful access to decision-making processes.

The most critical recommendation from public health experts is the need for communities to have the information, access, and standing necessary to participate in decisions about AI infrastructure that will impact their health for decades to come. By serving as a valuable partner in shaping the ethical rollout of emerging technologies, public health can play a crucial role in balancing economic development with community well-being.