Dear Editor:
Recently there was a Letter to the Editor whose writer would have you believe that data centers are a necessary evil, to assist the military. While some of that statement could be true at this point in time, will that be true in the future.
Back in 1968 the Navy wanted to install an underground antenna system throughout the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to communicate with submarines. This plan was called Project Sanguine. Tens of thousands of miles of cables were to be installed regardless if the residents wanted it or not. Citizens in Michigan and Wisconsin protested over environmental concerns and the project was canceled and replaced with Project Seafarer, which was then canceled and replaced with Project Elf, which only required sixty-four miles of antenna wire. Project Elf was also phased out.
So as we can see, many times the military grossly overstates what is necessary.
This is especially true with a former weekend news host who is completely unqualified to be in charge of the Department of Defense. Many of the staff in the Department of Defense that Mr. Hegseth has removed were far and away more qualified for the post of Secretary of Defense than Mr. Hegseth could ever dream of being.
Now as for the data center controversy, plans are already being spoken about to place data centers in space. Until that time becomes a reality, let us look at the facts of locating data centers to have a minimum impact on the nation’s population. New Jersey, having a population density of 1,290 residents per square mile, is the most densely populated state in the country. Now let’s look at Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota, all of which have a population density of 12.2 residents per square mile or less. However, they are all Red States. Does anyone besides me see a pattern here? Oh, and let us not forget that a data center and ice facility were being considered for Palm Beach County, which just happens to be where Mar-a-Lago resides. I suppose it was simply serendipity that both of those proposals were quashed.
Rich Suarez
Parsippany
