Google plans a $15B data center in Montgomery County, to mixed reactions

Google is investing $15 billion into a new data center campus in Montgomery County, Missouri, an investment Governor Mike Kehoe has described as the largest single investment in Missouri history. Pre-construction work is already underway in the small town of New Florence, a community of fewer than 700 people.

However, the project has received mixed reactions from residents. Critics, like Jessie Stratton, who lives on farmland her family has owned for decades, express sadness and worry that the massive development will permanently transform their quiet rural community. Residents question why they weren't consulted or given the opportunity to vote on the project. Concerns were also raised about the data center's potential water usage, especially given its proximity to a similar Amazon data center project already underway. Google states that their facility will be air-cooled, with water use limited to domestic purposes like kitchens and bathrooms. While supporters highlight the thousands of construction jobs the project will bring to Montgomery County, critics remain skeptical about the long-term benefits and the impact on natural resources, particularly land and water. Google has committed to covering 100% of the electricity costs for the data center.