Protest organized in response to Chamber Lunch about data centers
A workshop hosted by Greater Mankato Growth about data centers has prompted a protest from community members due to a lack of public access. Organizers are concerned about data centers' potential impact on local water supplies and utility bills, even though no specific projects are currently planned. The protest aims to highlight public interest and encourage broader community discussion on the topic.
Community members in Mankato, Minnesota, led by Minnesota State University student Ksenia Miller, are organizing a protest against a private workshop on data centers hosted by Greater Mankato Growth (GMG). The "Chamber Lunch" event, scheduled for Wednesday, aims to educate business owners on data center impacts from public policy, industry, energy, and environmental perspectives. Miller and other organizers contend that the lack of public access to these discussions is unacceptable, especially given the controversial nature of data centers.
Andy Wilke, Executive Vice President of GMG, stated that the Chamber Lunch series is traditionally for members only, but acknowledged the high public interest in data centers. He emphasized that as far as GMG knows, no data centers are actively being planned or developed in the greater Mankato area, viewing the workshop as an educational initiative about a growing industry.
Miller highlighted common concerns among Minnesotans regarding data centers, particularly their reputation for significant water usage and potential to drive up utility bills. She stressed the importance of these public concerns being heard in initial discussions about potentially introducing data centers to an area, even before specific projects are on the table.
Despite GMG's openness to partnering on future, public events, Miller confirmed that the protest would proceed concurrently with the workshop. The demonstration aims to underscore the strong public interest and demand for broader community engagement on the topic.