Proposed Kansas Data Center Near Osawatomie State Hospital Raises Safety Concerns
A proposed data center near Osawatomie State Hospital in Kansas is raising significant safety concerns. A former employee fears its construction and proximity could negatively impact the health and recovery of patients and nearby residents.
A proposed data center in Osawatomie, Kansas, referred to as "Project Ca Kansas," is generating significant safety and health concerns due to its close proximity to the Osawatomie State Hospital. A former employee of the psychiatric hospital, Clayton, has voiced fears that the data center's construction and operation, located just hundreds of yards away, could negatively impact patient recovery and the well-being of residents living nearby.
Clayton, who spent 16 years caring for patients at the hospital, emphasized the state's responsibility to ensure the safety of those admitted to the facility. He reached out to the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services multiple times for comment on the proposal but has not received a response.
Osawatomie City Manager Byron Hall acknowledged that while these concerns are not his own, they have been raised before regarding other developments. He stated that the city has a responsibility to ensure the equitable treatment of its citizens and is awaiting information from the developer on how these issues will be addressed. KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa also noted he is awaiting a response from the developer.