Emporia group revives petition against proposed data center development
An Emporia group, "Emporia Neighbors United", is restarting its petition campaign against a proposed data center development after city officials rejected their initial petition due to legal requirements. The group is actively collecting signatures and aims to submit a new petition before the Emporia City Commission addresses the project later this month. They also plan to raise their concerns at a statewide Kansas Municipal Utility Summit.
Emporia Neighbors United, a local group, has relaunched its petition campaign opposing a proposed data center development in Emporia, Kansas. This decision comes after Emporia city officials rejected their initial petition last week, citing a failure to meet Kansas statutory requirements. The group's volunteers were observed collecting signatures on Monday, just three days after the rejection.
Organizers have adapted their process and intend to submit a revised petition before the Emporia City Commission convenes later this month to consider the proposed data center. A volunteer emphasized the importance of public participation, stating, "Whether you support it or you don't support it, come out and sign regardless, because what it means is, is you actually have a right to use your voice in this democracy."
Despite the initial setback, the group believes that restarting their efforts has generated additional momentum, attracting more volunteers to assist with signature collection. They plan to sustain their campaign throughout the week and also intend to present their concerns at a statewide Kansas Municipal Utility Summit.