Small Kansas towns pushing back against data centers, a growing trend nationwide
Residents in Osawatomie, Kansas, continue to express strong opposition to a proposed $1 billion data center project by Alcove Development, citing concerns about environmental impact, water usage, and quality of life. This local pushback reflects a growing trend across small towns in the Kansas City metro and wider Kansas, leading to discussions and enactments of data center moratoriums. While a Miami County moratorium has been approved, residents in Osawatomie and Edgerton are actively pursuing similar measures and clearer regulations.
Community members in Osawatomie, Kansas, continue to voice significant discontent regarding a proposed $1 billion data center project by Alcove Development, despite the project not being on the city council's recent agenda. Resident Troy Harp, who lives near the proposed 115-acre site at West 335th Street and Osawatomie Road, fears the data center and its associated power plant will destroy his quiet life and negatively impact his family and neighbors. The project, which could be the largest in the city's history, involves a 600,000-square-foot campus and an agreement with Alcove Development that grants them priority for surveying land and potential tax breaks.
Local and county officials, including Osawatomie City Manager Bret Glendening, have requested studies on noise, light, equipment details, and water demand from Alcove Development, but acknowledge the project is in very early stages. Meanwhile, resident opposition is gaining momentum, with Harp drafting moratorium legislation for the city council after a previous petition was ruled invalid. This reflects a broader trend of resistance across Kansas; the Miami County Commission has already approved a data center moratorium, and residents in nearby Edgerton and Spring Hill are also advocating for similar measures. Edgerton's City Council is scheduled to discuss a data center moratorium on June 11.
Concerns expressed by residents across these communities include water scarcity, contamination, noise and light pollution, and the impact on local infrastructure and quality of life. Notably, the Osawatomie project's proximity to a state psychiatric hospital has raised unique concerns. Actor Mo Brings Plenty, a Miami County resident, spoke at the Osawatomie City Council meeting, emphasizing the environmental dangers and questioning why developers build such facilities far from their own homes. Residents are calling for more transparency, proper zoning, and regulations to protect their communities from what they view as potentially harmful industrial developments, with some expressing a desire for a new city council if the data center project proceeds.
Alcove Development has indicated an upcoming press release to clarify the project's status and highlight its community benefits, but residents like Harp fear that once built, a data center cannot be undone and emphasize the importance of the city council listening to the public's widespread opposition.