Report: Emporia citizen petition to ban high-impact data centers validated
A citizen petition organized by Emporia Neighbors United, aiming to ban high-impact data centers in Emporia, Kansas, has been validated by the Lyon County Election Officer. The City of Emporia now has 20 days to approve the proposed ordinance or it will appear on the November General Election ballot. This development comes amid ongoing community opposition to the proposed Flint Hills Digital Campus.
Emporia Neighbors United has achieved a significant milestone in its efforts to prevent data center construction in Emporia, Kansas. The group's petition, which calls for a citywide prohibition on data center development, was certified by Lyon County Election Officer Amie Jones. Jones confirmed that 806 signatures were validated, exceeding the 805 required to advance the petition to the city.
Following the validation, the City of Emporia has 20 days to decide whether to approve the proposed ordinance. If the city does not approve it, the ordinance will be placed on the ballot for the upcoming General Election in November. This action is a direct result of community opposition, particularly concerning the proposed Flint Hills Digital Campus, a hyper-scale data center project within the city.
While city planners in Emporia moved forward with general zoning changes in late June to accommodate future data center construction, Lyon County Commissioners are reportedly considering a moratorium on new data center permit requests, according to local outlet KVOE.