Data centers have become an issue in midterm election
Data center development has become a campaign issue in Indiana as residents raise concerns about electricity use, water consumption, environmental effects and utility costs. Candidates and voters are debating whether local communities should have more control, while many Indiana counties have adopted restrictions or moratoriums on new facilities.
Data center development is emerging as an issue in Indiana’s midterm election, with residents and candidates debating the facilities’ effects on electricity demand, water use, utility bills, the environment and local communities. Research cited by Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute found that more than half of Indiana counties have adopted data center restrictions, temporary moratoriums or outright bans.
A Free Press Indiana poll found that 69% of likely voters oppose new data centers, although only 5% identified the issue as their top concern. Democratic state Sen. J.D. Ford has advocated for greater transparency, regulation and local control, while Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz has called for responsible energy planning and requested an independent federal review of the LEAP District and other Indiana data centers. Indiana lawmakers previously approved tax incentives lasting as long as 50 years for some data center operations.