Lawsuit filed over environmental impact statement for Port Washington data center
A lawsuit has been filed against the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources by Midwest Environmental Advocates on behalf of Sierra Club Wisconsin. The suit concerns the DNR's handling of an environmental impact statement for a Vantage Data Centers project in Port Washington. The lawsuit alleges improper EIS procedures and a failure to require sufficient pollution controls for the data center's diesel generators.
A lawsuit has been filed against the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) by Midwest Environmental Advocates on behalf of Sierra Club Wisconsin. The suit alleges that the DNR improperly handled the environmental impact statement (EIS) for a Vantage Data Centers project in Port Washington.
According to reports referenced in the article, Vantage Data Centers believed an EIS posed a threat to the project's progression. A text message from a Vantage representative to Port Washington Mayor Ted Neitzke reportedly indicated that an EIS would "kill the project," to which Mayor Neitzke allegedly responded by agreeing to meet with the DNR secretary.
The lawsuit claims that the DNR failed to properly post the EIS and did not provide for a public comment period or public hearing. Environmental groups contend that the data center's diesel backup generators will release harmful pollutants and that the DNR has not mandated the use of the best available pollution controls. The author of the letter urges Mayor Neitzke to leverage his relationship with Vantage to ensure the data centers implement the most effective pollution reduction technology for the benefit of Port Washington residents.