Group shaping Detroit data center regulations draws transparency concerns
Environmental advocates are criticizing a working group convened by Detroit City Councilmember Scott Benson to draft the city's first data center regulations, alleging a lack of transparency and favoritism toward industry voices. They believe the process sidelined critical environmental and community input. The City Planning Commission is set to complete a draft ordinance soon, while advocates call for a two-year moratorium.
A working group established by Detroit City Councilmember Scott Benson to develop the city's first data center regulations is facing significant criticism from environmental advocates. They argue that the process was largely opaque, prioritizing industry perspectives over community and environmental concerns, and could result in policies detrimental to residents.
The Data Center Zoning and Policy Working Group, which met three times since April, recently submitted its final materials to the City Planning Commission, which is tasked with drafting a new ordinance by the end of the month. Environmental advocates, including Andrew Bashi from the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center, allege that a dedicated environmental subcommittee was deliberately sidelined, meeting only once and failing to submit its recommendations before the main group concluded its work. Erma Leaphart, a retired conservation organizer for the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter and the sole community advocate invited to the initial meeting, echoed these concerns, noting the group's heavy bias towards data center beneficiaries.
Earlier this year, Councilmember Benson proposed a two-year moratorium on new data centers to allow time for comprehensive regulations. He defends the working group's structure and inclusivity, asserting that the city needs regulations to protect its residents. However, critics like Eden Bloom from Detroit People’s Platform dispute Benson's claims of public accessibility for the meetings, stating their requests to attend went unanswered. The working group was not subject to the Open Meetings Act, meaning it wasn't required to provide public notice or record its proceedings.
While Benson suggested the group concluded that hyperscale data centers are unfeasible in Detroit due to land and electrical constraints, meeting minutes reviewed by Outlier Media indicate DTE Energy representatives only stated current infrastructure deficiencies and advised against closing off future hyperscale possibilities. The City Planning Commission will now use the working group's guidance to define data center types and draft a zoning ordinance, which will be followed by public hearings and a City Council vote later this year.