On Tuesday, Campbell announced her plans for the measure, naming it the “Power to the People Act.”

The bill aims to shield municipal zoning and regulatory authority from potential state-level overrides.

Campbell cited local impacts on water resources, traffic, noise, and the electrical grid as key reasons for the push.

Environmental concerns have become a hot-button issue regarding data centers, as massive water use has caused fear of draining local water supplies.

A study by the Florida Water & Pollution Control Operators Association notes that one large facility can use as much water as a small city, adding that the water is not used as a raw material but rather to keep servers cool.

Water-based cooling remains the primary method for data centers worldwide, accounting for roughly 75-90% of installations, according to the study.

Campbell’s proposal draws inspiration from the “Jackson Law”, an optional general law in Tennessee that requires that no new landfill construction can proceed without the approval of the local legislative body, unless the landfill only accepts waste generated by its owner within the same county.

Data centers have drawn scrutiny across Tennessee, as local counties and cities have enacted moratoriums on new projects.

According to a report by Axios Nashville, Campbell believes support for this upcoming legislation would span across the aisle, gaining traction among liberals and conservatives.

However, the report said she fears that Republicans will push in the opposite direction, advocating stripping local governments of the ability to regulate new data centers.

The legislation has not yet been filed.