Uproar in Webster County: Data center project faces strong opposition from residents

Residents of Webster County, Missouri, expressed overwhelming opposition to a proposed data center project by Lumon Solutions LLC at a packed county commission meeting held at Marshfield High School. Approximately 800 concerned citizens filled the auditorium and overflow areas to voice their objections during a two-hour public testimony session on May 11. The primary concerns raised by residents centered on environmental impacts, including excessive water usage, potential groundwater contamination, high power consumption, and noise and temperature pollution. Speakers also highlighted fire risks associated with high-density data centers and a general distrust of Lumon Solutions LLC due to perceived lack of transparency. Residents, including organizer Katherine Wiltse and Kevin Runyan, pleaded with the Webster County Commission to enact a one-year moratorium on the project to allow for certified environmental impact studies. Runyan informed the commission that a drafted moratorium had been emailed to them. The meeting, described as rowdy by Webster County Sheriff Roye Cole, saw commissioners, including Presiding Commissioner Paul Ipock, Northern Commissioner Dale Fraker, and Southern Commissioner Randy Owens, appear flustered by the public backlash. Project developer Trent Overhue and a representative from Webster Electric Co-Op presented information, but it did little to ease fears. Following the intense public feedback, commissioners stated they have hired a law firm to explore their options, even as work on the data center site on Rifle Range Road, north of Marshfield, is reportedly already underway.