Data center plans create new coalitions

Jenny Hoople, co-owner of Bountiful Beloit and an organizer of local opposition, highlights a growing coalition against data center development in Rock County, Wisconsin. She notes that concerns, while sometimes rooted in environmental issues, often stem from residents' desire for a peaceful country life. The Town of Beloit signed a pre-development agreement with an unnamed hyperscale data center developer months ago, subject to a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). This secrecy has fueled community unrest, leading to a town hall meeting that drew over 200 people and a large turnout at a Town of Beloit Board of Supervisors meeting. "No Data Center" signs were quickly distributed, indicating strong local sentiment. The opposition is coordinated by groups like Rock County Neighbors for Responsible Development, which leads "No Beloit Data Center" and "No Janesville Data Center" initiatives. They have scheduled another town hall meeting at Blackhawk Technical College. The article notes a national trend of increasing data center construction and growing local resistance. Several Wisconsin municipalities, including DeForest, Caledonia, Yorkville, and Greenleaf, have recently rejected data center proposals due to concerns about power and water consumption. In Janesville, the city council granted Viridian Acquisitions LLC a 60-day extension for a data center proposal, despite a resident-initiated petition for a referendum on large projects, scheduled for November. Hoople hopes Beloit will follow suit and reject the proposed development.