Independence voters have now ousted 3 of 5 councilmembers who backed data center funding
Independence, Missouri, voters have recalled three city council members who supported a $6.2 billion funding package for the Nebius data center, fulfilling a pledge by data center opponents. Residents also filed a new lawsuit to halt construction, alleging numerous zoning issues and violations by the city regarding the project. This follows a previous lawsuit to put the funding package to a public vote, which was dismissed.
Residents of Independence, Missouri, have successfully recalled three of five city council members who voted in favor of a controversial $6.2 billion financial incentives package for a hyperscale artificial intelligence data center developed by Nebius. The most recent recall, on September 1, removed longtime First District councilmember John Perkins, with 68% of voters supporting his removal. This follows the ousting of councilmembers Jared Fears and Bridget McCandless in April. The strong public backlash stemmed from the council's March 2 approval of significant tax breaks and industrial bonds for the Nebius project, which opponents argue was unpopular and lacked sufficient constituent engagement from some officials like Perkins.
The Nebius data center, a $150 billion project, is being built on a 400-acre site in northeast Independence and is set to operate with a 1.2 gigawatt capacity, fueled by a rebuilt natural gas and coal power plant. While some, including school and union personnel, supported the project for its economic potential, a vocal opposition group, "Stop the AI Data Center in Independence," formed, gathering over 114,000 members on Facebook. Residents' efforts to trigger a public referendum on the funding package were dismissed by a Jackson County judge, who ruled the vote did not qualify.
Despite the electoral successes, opposition to the data center continues. Four residents living closest to the Nebius site filed a sixteen-count lawsuit on August 13, seeking to halt construction. The lawsuit alleges numerous zoning issues, breaches of public record law, and violations of the city charter, claiming the project has already negatively impacted residents' health, finances, and quality of life. Nebius has previously stated its commitment to adhering to all local regulations. Judge Cory Atkins of Jackson County noted that these recalls are part of a national trend of residents voting out local officials over data center approvals.