SACRAMENTO, California — Democrat Tom Steyer’s position on a data-center moratorium is getting harder to pin down.
In a candidate questionnaire released Monday by the environmental group Greenpeace, the billionaire climate activist and gubernatorial hopeful indicated he supports a temporary ban on new data center construction until California enacts new ratepayer protections and sustainability rules for the hulking AI factories.
Earlier this year, however, Steyer told POLITICO that he didn’t think California needed a moratorium, but that he would be “absolutely maniacal” about enforcing two rules: “you can never raise people’s electric rates” and “you can absolutely never steal people’s water.”
When asked to explain the discrepancy Monday, Steyer campaign spokesperson Kevin Liao said that the billionaire is not calling for a temporary ban on new data center construction — while maintaining that his broader position in favor of holding the facilities to strict ratepayer and sustainability protections remains unchanged.
