Critics want to slow data center buildout; establish guidelines for future projects

Local critics in Allen County, Indiana, are intensifying their efforts to impede Google's data center expansion, even though initial project approvals have been granted. Google's comprehensive development plan allows for the construction of 12 buildings in phases, with each phase requiring separate permits. Opponents, including activist Danielle Doepke, are systematically filing objections to every permit application submitted by Google to state regulators, aiming to delay the project's progress. A central focus of the opposition is the environmental impact of the data center. Critics are urging the Allen County Department of Health to collaborate with an independent environmental health agency to conduct detailed monitoring of air, water, and soil samples. This data, they argue, is crucial for assessing the long-term environmental and human health consequences of the development. Furthermore, opponents are advocating for Allen County officials to implement a moratorium on all future data center developments until more information can be gathered and clear guidelines are established. They point to at least five other Indiana counties—Huntington, Fulton, White, Marshall, and Putnam—that have already enacted similar moratoriums to study impacts related to water use, energy demands, infrastructure, and carbon sequestration. Doepke noted that their suggestions have met with resistance from local officials, and she also proposed the formalization of community benefits agreements for incoming data centers to ensure local advantages beyond discretionary corporate donations.