Rogers and El-Sayed disagree on many issues, except data center moratoriums
Michigan U.S. Senate candidates Mike Rogers and Abdul El-Sayed both support pausing or slowing data center development until stronger safeguards are established. Their concerns include impacts on water, natural resources, utility rates, transparency and local control, while state lawmakers and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer have pursued broader regulatory guardrails.
Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, candidates in Michigan’s U.S. Senate race, agree that data center development should be paused or more tightly controlled. El-Sayed supports local and state moratoriums until federal protections for natural resources and public disclosure of contracts are established, while Rogers has called for a one-year statewide moratorium and a transparent approval process.
The debate reflects growing concern among Michigan voters about data centers’ water and energy consumption, potential utility rate increases, noise and pollution. State lawmakers have introduced regulatory bills that have not advanced, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has proposed guardrails requiring developers to protect natural resources, avoid shifting costs to working families and create local jobs after facing criticism over the opening of OpenAI’s hyperscale data center in Saline Township.