Paul Hanson and Sam Lyman: Beyond Power and Permits: Community Engagement in Data Center Development

<p>Can AI data centers deliver benefits that local communities actually want? Paul Hanson joins Sam Lyman to discuss community engagement, industrial redevelopment, local jobs, electricity costs and the lessons Bitcoin miners bring to AI infrastructure.</p><p>CHAPTERS<br>00:00 Introduction<br>00:36 Why communities push back<br>02:35 Making the case for local benefits<br>05:30 Designing around neighborhood concerns<br>08:00 Reindustrializing Rockdale<br>10:38 Ratepayer protection and grid investment<br>15:36 Data centers and national security</p><p>Session: Beyond Power and Permits: Community Engagement in Data Center Development<br>Recorded during Day 2 of Freedom Tech DC 2026, September 23, 2026, in Washington, DC.<br>Presented by the Bitcoin Policy Institute.</p><p>SPEAKERS<br>Sam Lyman — Head of Research, Bitcoin Policy Institute; moderator<br>Paul Hanson — Chairman, Bitdeer HPCAI</p><p>LEARN MORE<br>Freedom Tech DC: <a href="https://www.btcpolicy.org/summit">https://www.btcpolicy.org/summit</a><br>Bitcoin Policy Institute: <a href="https://www.btcpolicy.org/">https://www.btcpolicy.org/</a><br>Sam Lyman — BPI: <a href="https://www.btcpolicy.org/authors/sam-lyman">https://www.btcpolicy.org/authors/sam-lyman</a><br>Bitdeer: <a href="https://bitdeer.com/">https://bitdeer.com/</a></p><p>FOLLOW ON X<br>Sam Lyman: @SamLyman33 — <a href="https://x.com/SamLyman33">https://x.com/SamLyman33</a><br>Bitdeer HPCAI: @Bitdeer — <a href="https://x.com/Bitdeer">https://x.com/Bitdeer</a><br>Bitcoin Policy Institute: @bitcoinpolicy — <a href="https://x.com/bitcoinpolicy">https://x.com/bitcoinpolicy</a></p><p>SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE<br>Bitcoin Policy Institute: @btcpolicyorg — <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@btcpolicyorg">https://www.youtube.com/@btcpolicyorg</a></p><p>ABOUT BPI<br>The Bitcoin Policy Institute is a nonpartisan nonprofit advancing Bitcoin policy through research, education, and engagement with policymakers.</p><p>#FreedomTechDC #DataCenters #AI</p>