7th District: Lawrence calls for federal data center moratorium, backs phased Medicare expansion
Democratic congressional nominee William Lawrence is calling for a federal moratorium on new data centers until communities receive greater control over development. He cited concerns raised by residents in Livingston County and elsewhere about electricity costs, water use, property values and worker displacement.
William Lawrence, the Democratic nominee challenging U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, called for a federal moratorium on new data centers until regulations give local communities more authority over development. The district includes Livingston County, where Lawrence said residents in Howell Township, Lyon Township and other communities have raised concerns about electricity bills, water consumption, property values and potential job displacement.
Lawrence criticized Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Legislature for using incentives such as tax breaks to attract data center developers. He characterized opposition to the projects as a bipartisan issue and argued that communities should not have to accept data center development as the price of economic growth. The interview also covered Lawrence’s positions on Medicare, housing, tariffs and foreign policy.