Data centers draw packed crowd to Brown County committee meeting as moratorium push hits legal wall
More than 100 residents packed a Brown County committee meeting to advocate for a data center moratorium, but were informed that state law prevents the county from enacting such a ban. Concerns focused on water resources. Despite the legal barrier, a working group was formed to engage local municipalities, which do have the authority to implement moratoriums.
More than 100 residents attended a Brown County Planning, Development and Transportation Committee meeting in Green Bay, Wisconsin, to express their strong opposition to new data center developments and push for a county-wide moratorium. However, Brown County Corporation Counsel David Hemery informed the committee and the public that state law (Chapter 59) prohibits counties from enacting development moratoriums without county-wide zoning, which Brown County lacks. Committee member Dan Theno reiterated that while the county does not have the statutory authority, individual villages, cities, and towns within the county do.
Despite the legal setback, residents continued to voice their concerns, particularly regarding water resources, expressing fears about the potential depletion of fresh water. Brown County Supervisor Christopher Welch, who initially brought the moratorium idea to the committee, pressed for alternative actions. Ultimately, the committee agreed to form a working group, including Welch, Theno, and Jim Pyle, to reach out to local municipalities that possess the legal authority to enact moratoriums and explore how the county can support their efforts. The outcome left many attendees unsatisfied.