US residents angry datacenters 'shoved down our throats' are recalling officials

a month ago

A proposed data center in Lenox Township, Michigan, faced public backlash due to perceived secrecy, leading to packed meetings and a recall petition against officials.
Nationwide, U.S. residents are increasingly pushing for moratoriums on new data centers, citing concerns over property values, water and energy strain, and unemployment, with bipartisan unity emerging against the projects.
Data centers consume significant resources: one center can use as much electricity as 2,000 homes and up to 5 million gallons of water daily, straining local infrastructure and increasing consumer costs.
Developers often operate clandestinely, using non-disclosure agreements, which fuels public distrust and transparency demands, as seen in cases from Virginia to Oklahoma.
In Festus, Missouri, a $6 billion data center deal prompted a recall effort against the mayor and council, despite claims of economic benefits, highlighting community resistance to lack of involvement.
In Yukon, Oklahoma, a recall petition over a $1 billion data center led to a vice-mayor's resignation and a neighboring city imposing a moratorium, driven by water rationing and transparency issues.
Opposition is sometimes falsely attributed to Chinese influence, as with a Utah project, though experts find little evidence, and critics question who benefits from projects like in Lenox Township.
The Lenox data center website, linked to political advocacy software, stalled with no clear developer disclosed, reflecting broader challenges in data center proposals and community engagement.

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US residents angry datacenters 'shoved down our throats' are recalling officials