Three Kansas communities to decide on data center bans this election
Voters in El Dorado, Emporia and Ottawa, Kansas, will decide ballot measures that would prohibit or restrict high-impact and utility-intensive data centers. The proposed bans target facilities with substantial electricity or water demands and could last 10 years or have no specified expiration date.
Kansas voters in El Dorado, Emporia and Ottawa are considering ballot measures that would restrict data center development. El Dorado’s proposal would prohibit data centers with electrical capacity of at least 10 megawatts, along with certain battery storage systems, for 10 years. Emporia’s measure would similarly target facilities with a peak load of 10 megawatts or water consumption exceeding 10,000 gallons per day, while Ottawa voters are considering an open-ended ban on utility-intensive data centers.
The El Dorado measure was placed on the ballot after the Protect the Heartland group petitioned local government. Opponents say the measures reflect a lack of public trust, while supporters, including El Dorado Forward and a spokesperson for Flint Hills Digital Campus in Emporia, argue that broad bans could limit economic development and future projects. The ballot questions would serve as binding mandates for the respective communities.