Rural township extends pause on data centers following controversial Meta-backed project

Howell Township, Michigan, officials have extended a six-month moratorium on data center proposals until November, following an initial pause enacted last November. The decision by the township Board of Trustees is to allow more time to draft a local ordinance for regulating data centers. This extension comes after a controversial hyperscale data center project, reportedly backed by Meta, spurred significant resident opposition. Township Trustee Bob Wilson confirmed Meta's involvement, though developers publicly identified it only as a U.S.-based Fortune 100 company. Amidst public outcry and the initial moratorium, the developer, Randee LLC, withdrew its request to rezone over 1,000 acres of agricultural land for the data center campus. The rezoning was sought through consulting firm Stantec Consulting Michigan. Township Treasurer Jonathan Hohenstein noted it's uncertain if the data center project team will resubmit a rezoning request once the moratorium is lifted. A township subcommittee, with input from a residents’ research committee, is working on recommendations for local regulations, covering aspects like data center size, location, proximity to homes, and water/power usage, as well as noise and application requirements. The township planning commission and Livingston County Planning Commission will also review the proposed ordinance before it can be adopted by the township board. Residents had previously voiced concerns about environmental impacts, groundwater, electricity rates, and the use of rural farmland for such developments, while supporters highlighted potential tax revenue and job creation.