Backyard battle: Residents organize against data center proposal

A grassroots opposition movement has emerged in Monticello, Minnesota in response to a proposed 550-acre hyperscale data center campus. Nearby residents are calling for a moratorium on new data centers to allow the city time to study potential impacts and establish stronger regulations. The debate has intensified, with residents packing city council meetings, staging protests, and filing a lawsuit challenging the city's environmental review. The issue has also gained attention at the state level, with advocates urging Minnesota lawmakers to consider statewide regulations on large-scale data centers. As the city works on a zoning ordinance for data centers, the opposition movement continues, raising concerns over water usage, electrical infrastructure, and the character of the surrounding community.