Public interest groups call for moratorium on data center development

Twenty-seven public interest organizations in Indiana are calling for local governments to implement a temporary moratorium on new data center developments. The groups, including the Marion County Alliance of Neighborhood Associations and the Miami-Cass Counties Coalition for Utility & Environmental Protection, emphasize the need for officials to study the impacts of data centers on communities and establish protective policies. They cite concerns such as noise, excessive water and electricity consumption, utility affordability, environmental pollution, potential impacts on property values, and long-term strain on infrastructure. Ben Inskeep, Program Director for the Citizens Action Coalition, highlighted that "AI data centers are the number one threat to utility affordability, reliability, and environmental sustainability in Indiana," urging elected officials to safeguard constituents from these negative effects.