Data center news: Detroit takes responsible approach to data centers, Benson says
This article is a roundup of data center news in Michigan. Detroit is working on a regulatory framework after a council-approved moratorium, while a state senator proposed a statewide pause. Environmental concerns, utility bills, and community opposition are key themes, with Google planning a large data center and Erin Brockovich launching a national tracking map.
The article presents a roundup of data center developments and related controversies across Michigan, highlighting ongoing debates about their environmental and financial impacts. Detroit City Councilmember Scott Benson defended the city's approach to data centers, stating that a recently approved moratorium resolution has led to a stakeholder group focused on establishing a robust zoning ordinance by late 2026. This comes after The Washington Post criticized Detroit for a "Not-In-My-Backyard" stance, to which Benson countered that the city is deliberately pausing to build a stronger regulatory framework ensuring fair utility bills and local control.
In the wider state context, Republican State Senator Jim Runestad of White Lake has introduced bills proposing a one-year statewide moratorium on new data centers, citing public concern and a lack of community input, particularly regarding rural siting. Simultaneously, environmental activist Erin Brockovich launched an interactive online map for residents nationwide, including those in Michigan, to track and report data center developments, focusing on concerns like noise, water usage, rising electricity bills, and transparency. This initiative follows reports of projects built without community awareness, with Dowagiac residents already pursuing a lawsuit over excessive noise from a local data center.
Further developments include Google's plan to build a 1.5-million-square-foot data center in Van Buren Township, which will draw millions of gallons of water daily from the Great Lakes Water Authority. The company also announced a $250,000 grant to the Huron River Watershed Council for a stormwater program, as it aims to replenish more freshwater than it consumes by 2030. Nationally, Democratic governors, including Michigan's Gretchen Whitmer, are facing increasing political pressure over data center policies, as the issue becomes a midterm flashpoint, with some states adopting new energy standards or pausing tax exemptions, while others, like Monterey Park, California, have enacted permanent bans.