Western Wisconsin to come together for data center awareness event with Charlie Berens
A regional awareness event, "Uniting West Wisconsin: A Regional Response to Data Centers," is being held in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, to educate communities on protecting themselves from data center developments. This follows a successful effort in Menomonie where a proposed $1.6 billion data center project was killed and the city council passed new zoning regulations.
Residents of Western Wisconsin are organizing to raise awareness about data center developments, following a controversial period dubbed "the Badger State." Blaine Halverson, a Menomonie resident, who previously led opposition to a $1.6 billion data center project that was ultimately blocked, is spearheading the "Uniting West Wisconsin" event.
The event, hosted by Great Lakes Neighbors United and Grassroots Organizing Western Wisconsin (GROWW) at High Country in the Eau Claire Event District, aims to empower and unite communities against the perceived power imbalance with large tech companies and utilities. Wisconsin comedian Charlie Berens will be a featured speaker, advocating for transparency, accountability, and early protections for communities facing potential data center impacts. Over 700 people have registered for the event.