At Missouri Capitol, protesters call for data center moratorium and privacy rules
Hundreds of protestors rallied at the Missouri Capitol demanding a statewide moratorium on data centers and new privacy regulations. Organized by the "No MO Dirty Data Centers" coalition, the protest highlighted concerns over environmental impacts, noise, privacy, and tax incentives that divert funds from public services. Lawmakers acknowledged the growing demand for state-level regulation in response to local backlash.
Hundreds of protestors gathered at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City on Wednesday, demanding a statewide moratorium on data center construction and new privacy regulations. The "No MO Dirty Data Centers" coalition, a partnership between the Missouri Workers Center and the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, organized a "people's hearing on AI data centers," featuring speakers from across the state. These groups are pushing for state-level action, arguing that current local efforts, such as a restrictive zoning change in Kansas City and a moratorium in Jackson County, are insufficient to address the rapid proliferation of data centers.
Concerns voiced by attendees, who included both progressive Democrats and conservative Republicans, spanned environmental degradation, noise pollution, and privacy intrusions related to AI-powered surveillance. Clare Barclay, an English teacher from the Raytown School District, highlighted how tax incentives for data center developers could divert crucial funding from public schools. The coalition's demands also included health and environmental protections, prevention of utility rate hikes for data centers, an end to tax incentives, increased community involvement in development decisions, and a requirement for technology companies to contribute to the communities where they operate.
Despite a statewide utility regulation bill passed last year to prevent large energy users from shifting grid upgrade costs to consumers, its effectiveness remains uncertain. State lawmakers, including Rep. Brad Christ of St. Louis and Rep. Brian Seitz of Branson, attended the rally and indicated a growing legislative interest in regulating data centers. Rep. Christ recently called for a review of data centers' grid costs following a utility's request for a 10% rate increase. Rep. Seitz suggested that data center regulation would be a primary legislative discussion point in 2027, touching upon individual and property rights, as well as the future role of technology in communities.