Wisconsin City Passes Country’s First Anti-Data Center Referendum

Voters in Port Washington, Wisconsin, a Milwaukee suburb, have overwhelmingly approved a landmark referendum designed to restrict future data center developments within the city. The measure, which passed by a two-to-one margin, requires voter approval before tax incentives can be awarded to future data center construction projects. Christine Le Jeune, founder of Great Lakes Neighbors United, stated that this precedent-setting initiative could be adopted by other communities nationwide. Citizens express concerns regarding transparency, noise pollution, freshwater consumption, and increased energy costs associated with data centers. However, the referendum does not halt the proposed $15 billion, 1.3 gigawatt data center campus in Port Washington, which is being developed by Vantage Data Centers and backed by tech giants OpenAI and Oracle. This project is part of the larger "Stargate" AI megaproject series. Local business groups, including the Milwaukee Metropolitan Association of Commerce, have voiced opposition, arguing the referendum could stifle broader development and is initiating legal challenges, contending it violates state law. The article also notes that several other localities are considering similar anti-data center measures, including Monterey Park, California, which will vote on a ban on new data center construction, and Augusta Township, Michigan, which will decide on stopping an ordinance related to data center projects.