Daily Digest — April 9, 2026
Port Washington, Wisconsin Voters Approve Referendum Requiring Public Consent for Large Tax Incentives
Voters in Port Washington, Wisconsin, approved a ballot measure by approximately 66% requiring voter approval before city leaders can grant tax incentives exceeding $10 million to developers, according to WISN and Urban Milwaukee. The referendum was championed by Great Lakes Neighbors United, a local group formed in response to a proposed $15 billion AI campus by Vantage Data Centers, OpenAI, and Oracle — part of the Trump administration's "Stargate" initiative.
The ordinance does not specifically target data centers and will not impact the Vantage project already under construction, as reported by WISN. However, it would require voter consent for similar future tax incentive packages. Port Washington Mayor Ted Neitzke expressed concern the measure could deter future investment.
The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce has filed a lawsuit to block the ordinance, citing "serious legal and economic concerns," according to Urban Milwaukee. A scheduling conference is set for April 16. Great Lakes Neighbors United has also filed a separate lawsuit contesting the original Tax Incremental District created for the data center project.
The Washington Examiner notes the vote reflects a broader national trend of resistance to data center expansion, citing parallel efforts in Frederick County, Maryland, proposed legislation in Maine to ban data centers until November 2027, and the Sanders-Ocasio-Cortez bill calling for a construction halt. Breitbart reports that other localities are considering similar measures, including Monterey Park, California, and Augusta Township, Michigan. Recent Marquette Law School polling cited by Urban Milwaukee indicates growing public sentiment in Wisconsin that data center costs outweigh benefits.
Wisconsin town becomes first to restrict data centers as pushback grows nationwide
washingtonexaminer.com
Port Washington voters approve first-in-the-state ordinance responding to data center boom
WISN
Opinion | Wisconsin voters deal blow to Trump’s data center dreams
MS NOW
Wisconsin City Passes Country’s First Anti-Data Center Referendum
breitbart.com
Port Washington Passes Referendum On Data Center Deals
Urban Milwaukee
Festus, Missouri Voters Oust Incumbent Council Members Over Data Center Approval
Residents of Festus, Missouri, voted out all four incumbent city council members up for election, just one week after the council approved a framework for a $6 billion hyperscale data center proposed by CRG Clayco, according to STLPR. The four successful challengers — Dan Moore, Karl Weekley, Allen Joseph McCarthy, and Rick Belleville — campaigned on platforms emphasizing transparency and opposition to the data center.
Three of the defeated incumbents had voted in favor of the data center agreement, as reported by KSDK. New council member Dan Moore criticized the deal as having been conducted "behind closed doors." The new members, set to be sworn in by month's end, plan to immediately explore options to halt the project.
The political fallout extends beyond Festus. According to STLPR, the mayor of nearby Pacific, Missouri, also lost her reelection to a challenger running on a pro-transparency platform. Petitions to recall Festus Mayor Sam Richards were being collected at polling places, as reported by Spectrum News. Residents cited concerns over environmental impacts, water usage, electricity costs, and a perceived lack of transparency.
After $6B data center plan, Festus voters oust every incumbent council member
STLPR
Four Festus council members ousted week after data center approved
Spectrum News
Festus voters oust four city council members amid backlash over data center plans
KSDK
Festus election results
KSDK News
Festus sees high election turnout after data center vote
FOX 2 St. Louis
Imperial County, California Supervisors Advance 330-MW Data Center Despite Fierce Opposition
The Imperial County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to approve a lot merger and vacate a public right-of-way for a proposed 330-megawatt hyperscale data center by Imperial Valley Computer Manufacturing, according to inewsource. The project, developed by Sebastian Rucci, was moved to unincorporated county land after the City of Imperial declined to support it without a full CEQA environmental review.
Residents organized under groups including "Not In My Back Yard Imperial" have raised concerns about:
- Noise and visual impacts on nearby homes, schools, and parks
- Heavy water and power usage
- Potential emissions
- A history of overpromised benefits from large projects in the Imperial Valley
Multiple legal actions are underway, as reported by inewsource. The City of Imperial has sued the county to challenge the project's ministerial approval. Rucci has countersued the city, KPBS, a resident, and an environmental group for defamation. Residents are exploring a potential November 2026 ballot initiative to block data centers in the county and a recall petition against Board Chairwoman Peggy Price.
State Senator Steve Padilla has introduced legislation to regulate data centers in California, including requiring CEQA review, according to inewsource. The Imperial Irrigation District has not committed to powering the project. As reported by E&E News, the approval creates a 75-acre site for what would be the largest AI data center in California.
AI data center plan energizes opposition in California desert
inewsource
Imperial County supervisors clear path for massive data center complex amid fierce opposition
KPBS Public Media
Imperial County OKs Lot Merger for Data Center
Calexico Chronicle
Huge data center project advances in Southern California
E&E News by POLITICO
Imperial County Takes Step to Advance Controversial Data Center
California City News
Coweta County, Georgia Approves Rezoning for 829-Acre "Project Sail" Data Center Campus
The Coweta County Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 to approve the rezoning of approximately 829 acres for "Project Sail," a data center campus developed by Atlas Development, LLC, according to FOX 5 Atlanta and Atlanta News First. The AJC reports the project is spearheaded by Fortune 500 industrial giant Prologis, with a price tag of $17 billion.
Key project details, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta:
- Nine buildings totaling 4.34 million square feet
- 900 megawatts of power required
- Located along U.S. 27 near Newnan, proximate to Georgia Power's Plant Yates
- 17 conditions attached, including roundabout construction, 300-foot buffers, cemetery protection, and a decommissioning plan
The approval follows a 15-month process that included a moratorium on data center development and a revamp of the county's zoning code, according to the AJC. Residents raised concerns about increased power rates, water usage, environmental impacts on Wahoo Creek and the Chattahoochee River, traffic congestion, and loss of conservation forest land, as reported by Atlanta News First and CBS News Atlanta. A law firm representing citizens argued the approval would cause "irreparable harm" and violate due process.
Coweta County approves massive 'Project Sail' data center
FOX 5 Atlanta
Coweta votes to turn this 800-acre forest into $17B data center campus
AJC.com
Coweta County approves $1.7B data center
FOX 5 Atlanta
$1.7 billion data center: Coweta County's big gamble | FOX 5 News
FOX 5 Atlanta
Coweta County commissioners approve rezoning for massive data center
Atlanta News First
Coweta County approves $17 billion data center amid outcry over forest land loss
CBS News Atlanta